Libya Rolling Updates Sunday 27 Feb

Janey wrote:Gadaffi offers $400 to every family that agrees to support his regime

His version of a "stimulus package".
Any news on the guys trying to poison the water supplies to different cities there?

Janey, this look familiar




– 15 mins ago AP
LONDON – British media are praising a secret Special Forces military mission to rescue oil workers from the remote Libyan desert.

The media had strongly criticized the ineptitude of the British government's earlier efforts to rescue citizens stranded in the chaos. But on Sunday, newspapers praised the military evacuation of 150 stranded civilians by two RAF Hercules planes to Malta as a "daring and dramatic" operation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110227/ap_on_re_eu/libya_evacuations

Janey wrote:another arab country now seeing democracy protests. Police are firing teargas into crowds today in Oman

just to add.. the Sultan of Oman has been in Power since he overthrew his father, in 1970 !

thats the second longest rulership after Gaddafi in the whole middle-east

HMS Cumberland will leave Benghazi at 1500 (Libya time)

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=557634682

Janey wrote:

lolita wrote:Thanks for all your fantastic work.

Who the hell asked for the removal of use of force in the UN resolution? Who are those war criminals helpers?

And any word if NATO might use force outside of the UN?

it is looking like individual NATO countries are likely to act together outside of the UN. There is a legal precedent for this. The operation in Kosovo against genocide was done out of the UN. Russia along with Turkey were against a use of force resolution with Russia saying they would use their veto. Just reading my emails that I woke up to now and there is a view that the Kosovo style approach is totally legal without UN backing.

I was pointing this out too in the early days.. while somebody was saying they can't act if its not a "war" between countries..

Country by country breakdown in this article.

Countries and companies continue to get citizens out of Libya

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/27/libya.evacuations/

martinchulov Martin Chulov
Rebels over-ran Zawiya west of Tripoli. vital breakthrough. Only Sirte in central #libya stopping them joining from west.

Qassemi:
Asharq Al Awsat: Gaddafi family sources: Gaddafi won't flee to his birthplace in Sirt, he will die fighting.
http://www.aawsat.com/details.asp?section=4&article=610140&issueno=11779

cab123 wrote:Janey, this look familiar




– 15 mins ago AP
LONDON – British media are praising a secret Special Forces military mission to rescue oil workers from the remote Libyan desert.

The media had strongly criticized the ineptitude of the British government's earlier efforts to rescue citizens stranded in the chaos. But on Sunday, newspapers praised the military evacuation of 150 stranded civilians by two RAF Hercules planes to Malta as a "daring and dramatic" operation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110227/ap_on_re_eu/libya_evacuations

just remember where you read it first

lots of rumours from journos on the ground that Gadaffi is regrouping for a major offensive

BelgianBoy wrote:martinchulov Martin Chulov
Rebels over-ran Zawiya west of Tripoli. vital breakthrough. Only Sirte in central #libya stopping them joining from west.

I guess this is (one of) the news from the west, which Elbhaghdadi and others had, and wouldnt tweet in the morning because it was still ongoing/planned?

Saw pics of a scud missile seized by rebels today. Three more now in opposition hands near Benghazi. #libya

#Libya opposition issuing handwritten press passes under authority of the youth of #feb17 revo media centr

MartinChulov:
Fishermen at Benghazi port said 2 boats traveling west hit by missiles filed from Sirte. That rules out Tripoli by sea then

Azawya under siege! Possible massacre in azawya soon #libya #tunisia

Reports of #Gaddafi showing foreign journalists round Tripoli, in desperate efforts to portray to the world he is in control of #Libya.

awwwwww, look at that picture

AliTweel:
This girl made me tear! Thank you for you support ya 3arousa :-* i'm spreading your great support among us.
http://twitpic.com/44azp5

Janey wrote:lots of rumours from journos on the ground that Gadaffi is regrouping for a major offensive

The big question: Will he use unconventional weapons in his offensive. If he really feels he must win or die I think he will.

OT: but very important so I will mention here:

BREAKING out of Korea. North Korea has now officially informed the UN and SK that they plan to open fire on South Korean facilities in response to leaflet drops etc is SK contnues. This is for real as they have sent this to the UN and through the military hotline also.

"We officially notify that our army will stage a direct fire at the (Imjin) Pavilion and other sources of the anti-DPRK psychological warfare to destroy them on the principle of self-defense, if such actions last despite our repeated warning," the official added. "The group of traitors in South Korea must stop the anti-DPRK psychological warfare at once, squarely seeing the seriousness of the prevailing situation."

Canuck36 wrote:

Janey wrote:lots of rumours from journos on the ground that Gadaffi is regrouping for a major offensive

The big question: Will he use unconventional weapons in his offensive. If he really feels he must win or die I think he will.

I think he will too without a second of hesitation. He is not rational in any sense

on AJE:
various troop movements in Libya

ok... reports that tanks from sirte moving to misrata

zawya: west: 45 tanks libyan army.. 30 tanks to the south..

fear of an immiment attack

Janey wrote:OT: but very important so I will mention here:

BREAKING out of Korea. North Korea has now officially informed the UN and SK that they plan to open fire on South Korean facilities in response to leaflet drops etc is SK contnues. This is for real as they have sent this to the UN and through the military hotline also.

"We officially notify that our army will stage a direct fire at the (Imjin) Pavilion and other sources of the anti-DPRK psychological warfare to destroy them on the principle of self-defense, if such actions last despite our repeated warning," the official added. "The group of traitors in South Korea must stop the anti-DPRK psychological warfare at once, squarely seeing the seriousness of the prevailing situation."

If the reports of protests in NK are true they might start a conflict with SK to distract their people. They also know the US is busy between Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and the spreading of protests to other Middle Eastern and African countries. Kim might go all in this time.

Janey wrote:

Canuck36 wrote:

Janey wrote:lots of rumours from journos on the ground that Gadaffi is regrouping for a major offensive

The big question: Will he use unconventional weapons in his offensive. If he really feels he must win or die I think he will.

I think he will too without a second of hesitation. He is not rational in any sense

Yeah, that has to be the worry. If he does use chemical weapons then the UN has no choice but to allow the use of force.

Lurker wrote:on AJE:
various troop movements in Libya

ok... reports that tanks from sirte moving to misrata

tbc

confirmed just now from one of our journos on the ground too. very heavy movements, as anticipated earlier

Sightly OT

After Iraq's Day of Rage, a Crackdown on Intellectuals

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/26/AR2011022604018.html

Sound familiar?