The Middle East Uprisings: video, links, and more

Nesagwa

Nesagwa

Beard of Zeus,
20 Year Member
Joined
May 17, 2002
Posts
21,322
http://bigthink.com/ideas/31329

By Firouz Folani

Institute of Near-Western Studies

TEHRAN, Feb 24, 2011 -- As a wave of "people power" this month toppled dictators throughout the Americas, citizens of Africa and the Middle East—the world's prosperous democracies— felt joy and sympathy. Nowhere was this more true than here in Iran. But with the fall of the dictatorship in Washington, it's time for us, the world's one remaining superpower, to lay sentiment aside. We have to ask the tough questions: How can we be sure that the next American regime won't be even worse? How can we be sure, for that matter, that Americans are ready for democracy?
Click to expand...
 
NeoTheranthrope

NeoTheranthrope

Basara's Blade Keeper
Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Posts
3,676
The pro-democracy/anti-Gahdaffi forces have announced the establishment of the Republic of Lybia

The Libyan Republic

Declaration of the Establishment of the National Transitional Temporary Council

In affirmation of the sovereignty of the Libyan people over the entirety of their territory, land, sea, and air; and in response to the demands of the Libyan people, towards the realization of the free will with which they shaped the uprising of February 17th; and in preservation of the Libyan people’s national unity; we resolve to establish a national council named ‘the National Transitional Temporary Council’ to be the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

Article 1

Functions

1. To ensure the safety and peace of citizens and the national territory

2. To coordinate national efforts to liberate the remaining quarters of the nation

3. To coordinate the efforts of local councils working towards the return of civic life

4. To supervise the military council so as to ensure the realization of a new doctrine for the national army towards the defense of the Libyan people and protection of its borders

5. To supervise the election of a founding assembly charged with developing a new constitution for the country to be submitted to public referendum, so that the legitimacy of the constitution is founded on: the will of the people, the triumphant uprising of February 17th, respect for human rights, guarantee of civil liberties, separation of powers, an independent judiciary and the establishment of national institutions that provide for broad and pluralistic participation, the peaceful transition of authority and the right of representation for every segment of Libyan society

6. To form a transitional government to pave the way for free elections

7. To conduct and to steer foreign policy, to organize relations with foreign nations and international and regional organizations, and to represent the Libyan people before them

Article 2

The Council’s Organizational Structure

1. The Council is composed of 30 members, representing all of Libya’s regions and all segments of Libyan society, with youth membership representing no less than 5 members.

2. The Council will select from its members a president, an official spokesperson and coordinators for a variety of domestic and foreign functions.

Article 3

Seat of the Council

The Council’s permanent seat is at the capital, Tripoli, taking Benghazi as its temporary seat until the capital is liberated.

Article 4

It is the responsibility of the Council to set protocols for its regular and emergency meetings and to make decisions in accordance with the interests of the Libyan people, in a manner that does not contradict the people’s demands, the basis of which were declared by the uprising of February 17th: the fall of the Gaddafi regime and the establishment of a civil, constitutional and democratic state.
Click to expand...
 
NeoTheranthrope

NeoTheranthrope

Basara's Blade Keeper
Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Posts
3,676
Things have bogged down in Lybia, and an uneasy stale-mate has been reached in what is, essentially, a civil-war in all-but-name. Anti-Gahdafi partisan-forces still have pro-Gahdafi Government forces contained to the area surrounding Tripoli, in North-West Libya, but the pro-Gahdafi forces holding Tripoli and surrounding towns have proven to be a tough nut to crack:

Rebels said they repelled government forces from Zawiya, west of Tripoli, after intense fighting.

Further east, government troops fought their way into Misrata using tanks and artillery, before being forced back.

Helicopter gunships strafed Bin Jawad, prompting a retreat by rebels who had captured the coastal town on Saturday.

Tripoli has been Col Gaddafi's main stronghold as he attempts to reassert control over the country from rebels, who have taken much of the east of the country as well as some towns closer to Tripoli, in the west.
Click to expand...

In the meantime, the anti-Gahdafi forces have sent an ultimatum: "Gahdafi 'will not be pursued' if he quits within 72 hours and stops bombing countrymen"



Pro-Gahdafi Libyan Soldiers Killed For Refusing To Shoot Anti-Gahdafi rebels, Video Claims (NSFW):



Also, a massive cock-up by U.K. special forces, when they tried (and failed) to infiltrate Libya:

 
aria

aria

Former Moderator
Joined
Dec 4, 1977
Posts
39,546
I think Gaddafi is going to be one of the hottest costumes this Halloween. All you need is a sort-of afro wig, that hat, some shades, a wispy moustache and rambling speech. If I were willing to shave, I would so rock that.
 
aria

aria

Former Moderator
Joined
Dec 4, 1977
Posts
39,546
NeoTheranthrope said:
Also, a massive cock-up by U.K. special forces, when they tried (and failed) to infiltrate Libya:

Click to expand...

Seriously, it took me a few times reading the NY Times article this morning to figure out that they had screwed up so basically as to not tell the rebels they were coming. At first I had assumed that somehow Gaddafi's forces had got a hold of them, but --as the video also clarifies-- they accidentally managed to get arrested by the people they were planning to contact. I would've never guessed that the Foreign Ministry and MI6 would screw up such a basic concept.

I guess Bond was on holiday.

I blame Quantum of Solace.
 
NeoTheranthrope

NeoTheranthrope

Basara's Blade Keeper
Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Posts
3,676
Bobak said:
Seriously, it took me a few times reading the NY Times article this morning to figure out that they had screwed up so basically as to not tell the rebels they were coming. At first I had assumed that somehow Gaddafi's forces had got a hold of them, but --as the video also clarifies-- they accidentally managed to get arrested by the people they were planning to contact. I would've never guessed that the Foreign Ministry and MI6 would screw up such a basic concept.

I guess Bond was on holiday.

I blame Quantum of Solace.
Click to expand...

Actually, my first thought was this was some kind of cover or misdirection for the real op; capturing/disabling/destroying the (alleged) 2-3 nukes that Gahdafi may-or-may-not have.


 
NeoTheranthrope

NeoTheranthrope

Basara's Blade Keeper
Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Posts
3,676
Back to The Future aside, the possibility that Gahdafi may have nukes is serious business. At one point, right about the time when the movie was being made, Libya had a nuclear weapons program that was more advanced than either Iran or Pakistan. It was speculated that they had the means to produce a handful of primitive Uranium gun-assembly bombs ("Little Boy" fission-type).

However, during the early-2000's, when both Libya and Gahdafi were trying to reform their image trying to make the country more attractive to Western corporate investors (right about the time when Gahdafi stopped wearing that stupid colonel uniform and started wearing that stupid dashiki), the nuclear weapons program was quietly (and suspiciously) scrapped...

(As a side note, of pure out-there Internet-nutjob speculation: In 1945, the cover-story the U.S. Government gave the American people for the Trinity blast was a massive arms-depot exploded...)
 
aria

aria

Former Moderator
Joined
Dec 4, 1977
Posts
39,546
NeoTheranthrope said:
Saif Gaddafi's london mansion occupied "We didn't trust the British government to properly seize the Gaddafi regime's corrupt assets, so we took matters into our own hands."
Click to expand...

I'm a little nervous about this level of paranoia in the rebels, but that's because they do have some unsophisticated elements that can be blamed partly on the results of Gaddafi's own education system. Regardless of that aspect, they need to try and coalesce a bit better into a unified force.
 
NeoTheranthrope

NeoTheranthrope

Basara's Blade Keeper
Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Posts
3,676
Gannicus said:
Jesus Christ it's like the gulf war all over, where the house of Saud is trying to throw money at people and buy loyalty. Same shit that happened 20 years ago.
Click to expand...

Well, the House of Saud is the ultimate case of "being at the right place at the right time": A group of normally-nomadic (British-friendly) Bedouins camped out at a wadi that happed to be sitting on top of one of the world's largest, and most easily-accessible, reserves of petroleum, while the British Empire happened to be carving up the region out of the captured remains of the Ottoman Empire after WWI.

Being rich does not make one wise (and visa-versa).
 
bokmeow

bokmeow

Ned's Ninja Academy Dropout
Joined
Apr 11, 2002
Posts
11,314
Popcorn Sutton said:
Yemeni protestors are experiencing nerve gas symptoms.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/...10309/yemen-violence-protests-sanaa-nerve-gas
Click to expand...


It's not necessarily nerve gas — it could be just a very concentrated form of tear gas, especially if they fired more than the usual number of rounds.
Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) saw the first hand effect of this kind of symptom a few years ago when Israel used it against Gaza's Palestinians in enclosed spaces. It was an unfamiliar new gas to Palestinians, who had become experts through experience. Those who inhaled it were in intense agony, kept scratching and tearing at themselves as if to peel skin, and had to be held down by 4, 5 people in order to be sedated.
That's besides the point though — firing live munition rounds at Yemeni protesters is beyond the pale and most definitely in contravention to international law.
 
M

Marek

Banned
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Posts
1,075
bokmeow said:
It's not necessarily nerve gas — it could be just a very concentrated form of tear gas, especially if they fired more than the usual number of rounds.
Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) saw the first hand effect of this kind of symptom a few years ago when Israel used it against Gaza's Palestinians in enclosed spaces. It was an unfamiliar new gas to Palestinians, who had become experts through experience. Those who inhaled it were in intense agony, kept scratching and tearing at themselves as if to peel skin, and had to be held down by 4, 5 people in order to be sedated.
That's besides the point though — firing live munition rounds at Yemeni protesters is beyond the pale and most definitely in contravention to international law.
Click to expand...

Did you read the article?

These people are complaining of nerve damage. Not super concentrated tear gas damage.

i.e. Coma, incontinence, etc

edit: Also, MDs are the ones making these assertions based on the injuries the've treated. Why do you feel qualified to throw out their opinion and say its tear gas??
 
Last edited:
norton9478

norton9478

So Many Posts
No Time
For Games.
20 Year Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2003
Posts
34,075
I heard that those fuckers were also using white phosphorus bombs....

Now wait, that's us.
 
bokmeow

bokmeow

Ned's Ninja Academy Dropout
Joined
Apr 11, 2002
Posts
11,314
Popcorn Sutton said:
Did you read the article?

These people are complaining of nerve damage. Not super concentrated tear gas damage.

i.e. Coma, incontinence, etc

edit: Also, MDs are the ones making these assertions based on the injuries the've treated. Why do you feel qualified to throw out their opinion and say its tear gas??
Click to expand...

I read it.

I do not feel qualified to throw out their opinion — I am merely suggesting that it might not necessarily be nerve gas. It's not often that we test real humans with nerve gas, you know. Medical Doctors only know as much as they learn in their training.

Look, take the example of Gaza, even the doctors of Médicins Sans Frontières thought Israel had used a nerve gas on the population of the Gaza Strip. Israel maintain that they used the tear gas they always used, but the Palestinians have extensive experience in almost all the tear gas used by the IDF, so their encounter with this new type of gas that was nearly odorless, and of a different color, suggested that it wasn't the usual tear gas. No one knew what it was, so the doctors had to suggest that it might be nerve gas, which Israel denies. But then, Israel denies a lot of things, and I don't put it past the IDF to use nerve gas on the population. They had a particularly nasty bio weapon division that they used as part of the Tihur (ethnic cleansing) operation in 1948.
 
Last edited:
NeoTheranthrope

NeoTheranthrope

Basara's Blade Keeper
Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Posts
3,676
bokmeow said:
But then, Israel denies a lot of things, and I don't put it past the IDF to use nerve gas on the population. They had a particularly nasty bio weapon division that they used as part of the Tihur (ethnic cleansing) operation in 1948.
Click to expand...

Damm those dirty Jews! ...and their killer Jew-sharks and Jew-vultures!

Damm them! Damm them!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top