Discussion
Well, quite ironically, it seems that Morocco, Tunisia & Egypt have ended up with Islamic based parties being voted in or given a high position, Libya will probably go the same way. I see that Algeria, still secular but with an ever-present AQIM presence, is the odd man out in the Sahal now, which on the one hand may give AQIM impetous and support to continue or, as some analysts think, AQ as a franchise is being broken up not by war but by votes, i.e. Islamic parties gain control (moderate or otherwise) and as this is in line with AQ goals they have little justification to continue their high-risk/cost strategy within the region in its present form.
If you look at the secondary Sahal nations - Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Niger - they may suffer the rebound of Libya more than others as people from there flood back to their native lands, there is a mass of weaponery floating about at the moment, a mass of displaced people and nowhere as good as Libya to live (for them at least). Efforts to control regional security are always hampered by the poor Algerian/Moroccan relationship over the Western Sahara issue so cooperation is non-existant. The efforts of the US to gain a foothold in the region have been a notional success but on a very small scale, as they are untrustworthy colonising infidel dogs (tongue in cheek).
It'll be interesting to see how the pieces will all come together.
If you look at the secondary Sahal nations - Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Niger - they may suffer the rebound of Libya more than others as people from there flood back to their native lands, there is a mass of weaponery floating about at the moment, a mass of displaced people and nowhere as good as Libya to live (for them at least). Efforts to control regional security are always hampered by the poor Algerian/Moroccan relationship over the Western Sahara issue so cooperation is non-existant. The efforts of the US to gain a foothold in the region have been a notional success but on a very small scale, as they are untrustworthy colonising infidel dogs (tongue in cheek).
It'll be interesting to see how the pieces will all come together.
Confusion surrounds events in the Libyan town of Bani Walid after fighting broke out between armed groups on Monday, leaving four people dead.
The head of the local council has said a local militia was attacked by remnants of forces supporting late Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.
But the post-Gaddafi government has denied pro-Gaddafi forces were involved, saying instead the fighting was between rival militias.
The town is now reported to be calm.
The state-run Libyan news agency WAL quotes the head of Bani Walid's council, Mubarak al-Fatamni, as saying that forces loyal to the new government were attacked on 23 January in a "barbaric manner" by members of the "remnants of the Gaddafi regime".
Mr Fatamni said pro-Gaddafi forces raised their green flag over the town for a short time on Monday afternoon, the Associated Press news agency reports.
But spokesmen for the prime minister and defence ministry have told the BBC the dispute is a local one.
A source within the Libyan government, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the BBC the fighting broke out after a group of former rebel fighters, the 28 May Brigade, arrested one person.
The fighting was "more a clash between local people regarding a difference of who this [arrested] person was," the source said. "But of course now other people seem to be involved as well. The situation is not very clear who is who. It's still confused."
This is the latest in a series of clashes between rival armed groups, three months after the official end of the revolution that ousted Col Gaddafi, says the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in the eastern city of Benghazi.
On Tuesday, Reuters reporters who visited the town said militias loyal to the NTC had been driven out and town elders said they were appointing their own local government.
The Libyan defence ministry will be sending someone to the town, the government source said.
It is likely that some of the men involved in these latest clashes were indeed amongst those fighting on Col Gaddafi's side, our correspondent says - but in post-revolutionary Libya, the pro-Gaddafi label is also increasingly used in bitter local feuds.
Bani Walid was one of the last pro-Gaddafi towns to fall in the conflict.
Earlier this month, armed clashes between militias in the towns of Assabia and Gharyan left 12 dead and about 100 injured.
Libya's interim leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil has warned of the dangers of a civil war if the country's militias are not disarmed.
I went to bed one night after hearing on the news that 'the west' were imposing a no-fly zone.
Next morning I watched the news and heard how 'the west' had fired off over 100 cruise missiles.
WTF happened there????
I said to myself: here we go, another Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan... good men are going to die, trying to bring peace and freedom to some country that hates us anyway.
That's all.
Next morning I watched the news and heard how 'the west' had fired off over 100 cruise missiles.
WTF happened there????
I said to myself: here we go, another Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan... good men are going to die, trying to bring peace and freedom to some country that hates us anyway.
That's all.
andy_s said:
Well, quite ironically, it seems that Morocco, Tunisia & Egypt have ended up with Islamic based parties being voted in or given a high position, Libya will probably go the same way.
Was anyone expection anything different? In my opinion, they all seem to be moderate enough to not raise any real concern, so far.
What a surprise it's all ending up in a mess.
The PM flees to Germany as the country falls apart.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/16/libya...
Good job we have moved on to Ukraine to take our mind off the last failure...
The PM flees to Germany as the country falls apart.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/16/libya...
Good job we have moved on to Ukraine to take our mind off the last failure...
Fittster said:
What a surprise it's all ending up in a mess.
The PM flees to Germany as the country falls apart.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/16/libya...
Good job we have moved on to Ukraine to take our mind off the last failure...
Well i suppose we didn't technically get involved in Syria.The PM flees to Germany as the country falls apart.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/16/libya...
Good job we have moved on to Ukraine to take our mind off the last failure...
A much better country than it was before March 2011. Another thriving democracy thanks to Obama, Sarkozy, Cameron and the Gulf democracies.
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/21/world/africa/lib...
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/21/world/africa/lib...
Mermaid said:
We have some of "our" fighters there supporting the Sunni brothers?
And we actively encouraged it. I still remember the bbc interviewing some british jihadis who had just returned and everyone was acting as if they were heros. Fast forward and we now have a situation where british men are being arrested for fighting in the Syrian civil war.What is the difference I wonder.
The Don of Croy said:
Pretty hard to find any positive effect from the Arab Spring - Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria which one has become a beacon of hope and free thinking, or even just a functioning democracy?
How long might it take...
for ever, Sunni vs SHi'ite, various levels of Muslim extremism, the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Queda and any other psychopath and his bone head followers wanting an excuse to kill someoneHow long might it take...
and along comes ISIS
Edited by 2013BRM on Friday 4th July 12:07
Glad to see we've helped to create a peaceful, vibrant and tolerant society in Libya.
Article said:
"A hand grenade was hurled Thursday near a bakery in the northern city of Tripoli, in the second such attack in two days.
LBCI television said the explosive device targeted a popular Manakish bakery on the Ezzeddine Street.
It said the business was apparently attacked because it continued to serve food during Ramadan's daylight fasting hours.
A car parked in the location was damaged by the explosion.
On Wednesday, a grenade thrown into a cafe hurt four people in Tripoli's Bab al-Tabbaneh area.
The attacks come after cafes and restaurants were recently warned against opening during daylight fasting hours in Ramadan in text messages and on social media.
Last month, Tripoli municipal chief Nader Ghazal called on cafes and eateries in the city to "respect the sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan and particularly fasting Muslims."
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/137347-grenade-targets-tripoli-bakery-in-new-ramadan-linked-attackLBCI television said the explosive device targeted a popular Manakish bakery on the Ezzeddine Street.
It said the business was apparently attacked because it continued to serve food during Ramadan's daylight fasting hours.
A car parked in the location was damaged by the explosion.
On Wednesday, a grenade thrown into a cafe hurt four people in Tripoli's Bab al-Tabbaneh area.
The attacks come after cafes and restaurants were recently warned against opening during daylight fasting hours in Ramadan in text messages and on social media.
Last month, Tripoli municipal chief Nader Ghazal called on cafes and eateries in the city to "respect the sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan and particularly fasting Muslims."
confused_buyer said:
BlackLabel said:
Ummm....wrong Tripoli.Ooops, apologies. 
I saw it on twitter and jumped to the wrong conclusion - thanks for the correction.
I saw it on twitter and jumped to the wrong conclusion - thanks for the correction.
confused_buyer said:
BlackLabel said:
Ummm....wrong Tripoli.Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff