I've been watching Al Jazeera's Libya Blog for several weeks, always hoping that the end of Gaddafi was close. Sometimes the news has been sparse; sometimes the news comes flooding in. Sometimes I have gotten immediate access to the blog; sometimes I have to wait and wait for any items to even show in the window.
Today, after the death of Muammar Gaddafi, is one of those latter times. The little circle is going around and around in the corner of Firefox' window and the lower corner has "connecting to aljazeera.com…" I wrote the first paragraph and part of this before the loading of the page was complete.
I assume that aljazeera.net is so popular around the world, that its servers must be overloaded.
Whatever, let's hope for a long life for a free Libya.
P.S. A few hours after I wrote the above, access to Al-Jazeera is quicker. It must be because it is past midnight in that part of the world.
Showing posts with label Muammar Gaddafi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muammar Gaddafi. Show all posts
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Libya - More on the raspberry
It looks like Sens. McCain and Graham knew even less than they should have or were just looking for a way to fault Obama. See "Libya - Three cheers and a raspberry". And I ignored something I had known but forgotten.
McCain and Graham wanted the "full weight of American airpower", and I assumed any involvement would hinder the Libyan cause. Well, it seems American airpower was used efficiently and without a lot of flash and weight.
"U.S. and NATO officials cited an intensification of U.S. aerial surveillance in and around the capital as a major factor in helping to tilt the balance…" and "… the United States established around-the-clock surveillance over the dwindling areas that Libyan military forces still controlled, using armed Predator drones to detect, track and occasionally fire at those forces." - Eric Schmitt and Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, republished in the Star Tribune, 2011-08-22
McCain and Graham wanted the "full weight of American airpower", and I assumed any involvement would hinder the Libyan cause. Well, it seems American airpower was used efficiently and without a lot of flash and weight.
"U.S. and NATO officials cited an intensification of U.S. aerial surveillance in and around the capital as a major factor in helping to tilt the balance…" and "… the United States established around-the-clock surveillance over the dwindling areas that Libyan military forces still controlled, using armed Predator drones to detect, track and occasionally fire at those forces." - Eric Schmitt and Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, republished in the Star Tribune, 2011-08-22
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Libya - Three cheers and a raspberry
As I write this, it looks like the revolution in Libya is almost over. May Gaddafi's fall not crush anymore people than have already been crushed by his 41 years of misrule.
The raspberry is for Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham for their statement that included:
"Americans can be proud of the role our country has played in helping to defeat Qaddafi, but we regret that this success was so long in coming due to the failure of the United States to employ the full weight of our airpower."
One: would anymore airpower than was provided by NATO been needed? One more set of airplanes might have made the skies over Libya more crowded and more dangerous for the crews.
Two: have they considered that more U.S. involvement might have given more weight to Gaddafi's claims about "crusaders" and "colonialists". Especially given that the U.S. almost always insists on being the leader of any coalition.
Three: don't they belong to the party that wants to cut the Federal deficit? Bombs cost lots of money. Money we don't seem to have for activities they don't like.
The raspberry is for Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham for their statement that included:
"Americans can be proud of the role our country has played in helping to defeat Qaddafi, but we regret that this success was so long in coming due to the failure of the United States to employ the full weight of our airpower."
One: would anymore airpower than was provided by NATO been needed? One more set of airplanes might have made the skies over Libya more crowded and more dangerous for the crews.
Two: have they considered that more U.S. involvement might have given more weight to Gaddafi's claims about "crusaders" and "colonialists". Especially given that the U.S. almost always insists on being the leader of any coalition.
Three: don't they belong to the party that wants to cut the Federal deficit? Bombs cost lots of money. Money we don't seem to have for activities they don't like.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Was Saif Al-Arab Gaddafi really killed by NATO?
Given the destruction shown by Libyan State TV of the house that Gaddafi's son was supposedly killed in, how did Muammar Gaddafi and his wife escape unscathed?
Is it possible that Saif also called Aruba wanted out of Libya? Is it possible that he was advising his father or others against continuing the war? Is it possible that Gaddafi had his own son killed for his own reasons, but then he made the death look like NATO was responsible?
Will we never know one way or another?
Is it possible that Saif also called Aruba wanted out of Libya? Is it possible that he was advising his father or others against continuing the war? Is it possible that Gaddafi had his own son killed for his own reasons, but then he made the death look like NATO was responsible?
Will we never know one way or another?
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Is Gaddafi a paper tiger?
There have been many reports about Gaddafi's loyalists making attacks in several locations, but many seem to have been repulsed. Has he executed so many who refused to obey his orders that he is greatly understaffed? Are many who still nominally support him making themselves scarce so they can avoid doing his bidding or avoid execution?
We don't know. When it is all over will we find only a bunker like Hitler's?
We don't know. When it is all over will we find only a bunker like Hitler's?
Monday, February 28, 2011
A butterfly flapped its wings in Tunisia
A student, Mohamed Bouazizi, is selling vegetables in Tunis to support his family. A policewoman complains that he doesn't have the proper permit. In the argument, she slaps him. He is humiliated and sets himself on fire. This in turn sets many Arab countries on fire.
Many have complained that the U.S. with its vast intelligence network didn't foresee this. Consider that many didn't foresee the fall of the Czar of Russia. Consider that Winston Churchill said in the 1920s that he thought war with Japan was impossible.
Other than knowing that kowtowing to dictators is itself playing with fire, I won't pretend to judge the intelligence community. I'll let you read some short analyses by other commentators. See "Why Didn't the U.S. Foresee the Arab Revolts?", Room for Debate, New York Times, 2011-02-24.
Many have complained that the U.S. with its vast intelligence network didn't foresee this. Consider that many didn't foresee the fall of the Czar of Russia. Consider that Winston Churchill said in the 1920s that he thought war with Japan was impossible.
Other than knowing that kowtowing to dictators is itself playing with fire, I won't pretend to judge the intelligence community. I'll let you read some short analyses by other commentators. See "Why Didn't the U.S. Foresee the Arab Revolts?", Room for Debate, New York Times, 2011-02-24.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Calls for action from those who can do nothing
Government leaders from around the world are saying that the actions of Gaddafi of Libya are unacceptable, including Hilary Clinton and Ban Ki-Moon. However, many commentators from bloggers to the Wall Street Journal are calling for more concrete action.
But what can any government do without making matters worse?
First, they have to get all their citizens out of Libya safely. There are many thousands from dozens of countries who have to not only get to an airport or a harbor, but the countries have to supply sufficient craft at places where they won't be attacked by pro-Gaddafi supporters.
Second, if they did supply limited military forces at these embarkation points, would that very act put their countrymen in even more danger? When dealing with delusional leaders, one does have to expect the worse.
Third, if they did invade beyond the embarkation points, would that unleash an even bigger massacre of civilians, Libyans and foreigners alike?
About the only military action would have to be from the Arab League, and many of the members have their own upheavals to deal with.
That leaves only the Libyan Army to resolve the problem. We are starting to see many units join "the people". How effective they will be outside the areas that "the people" control remains to be seen.
As more and more cities come under control of anti-Gaddafi groups, we may see an acceleration towards a conclusion favorable to these groups.
Meanwhile, really the best others outside Libya can do is keep up the verbal pressure, make sure information flows out of Libya, and make sure some information gets back in.
But what can any government do without making matters worse?
First, they have to get all their citizens out of Libya safely. There are many thousands from dozens of countries who have to not only get to an airport or a harbor, but the countries have to supply sufficient craft at places where they won't be attacked by pro-Gaddafi supporters.
Second, if they did supply limited military forces at these embarkation points, would that very act put their countrymen in even more danger? When dealing with delusional leaders, one does have to expect the worse.
Third, if they did invade beyond the embarkation points, would that unleash an even bigger massacre of civilians, Libyans and foreigners alike?
About the only military action would have to be from the Arab League, and many of the members have their own upheavals to deal with.
That leaves only the Libyan Army to resolve the problem. We are starting to see many units join "the people". How effective they will be outside the areas that "the people" control remains to be seen.
As more and more cities come under control of anti-Gaddafi groups, we may see an acceleration towards a conclusion favorable to these groups.
Meanwhile, really the best others outside Libya can do is keep up the verbal pressure, make sure information flows out of Libya, and make sure some information gets back in.
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