Do I detect the hand of Saif-al-Islam?

Or perhaps his father as well?

Here is a report from the Libya February 17th site:

17:00 Almanara Media An eyewitness has contacted Almanara Media to relay the following report he received from a doctor in Tripoli:

“One of the doctors who works in a Tripoli hospital has informed me today 21st March 2011 at 13:00 GMT that Gaddafi’s forces are bringing into the hospital old bodies (i.e. dead for a while) and they wish to bring the media so they can film and photograph them as being casualties from the coalition strikes. He also informed me that he was able to recognize a number of the bodies as being amongst the youth who were kidnapped from Souq Al Jummah’s protests in Tripoli.”

Oh yes: those oil-stealing crusaders again...

Until the next time

Guess Who's Stuck His Oar In!

Yep! It's old Raspberry Beret again.

He says that the USA (note not the UN) is seeking to take Libya's oil. I have to say that Gaddafi and his crackpot South American analogue Chavez, make a perfect pair.

Meanwhile I see that Moussa, secretary-general of the Arab League, has been trying to move the goal posts, saying that the military action was not what he expected for the construction of a no-fly zone. This is the man who was present at the Paris summit yesterday! Perhaps he believes that the coalition pilots should simply ignore anti-aircraft installations, merely trusting in (Mussa's) God?

And in another rant from Gaddafi he is now, in addition to the usual crap about pinching his oil, claiming that the coalition is "attacking Islam" He is obviously getting desperate.

Here's a report that has just appeared on the BBC's live Libyan Crisis report:

More from Venezuela's president on the air and missile strikes on Libya: Speaking on his weekly television and radio programme, Hugo Chavez condemned the "indiscriminate bombing " claimed the US was after Libya's oil. "Libya is under imperial fire. Nothing justifies this, he said. "Who gave those countries the right?* Neither the United States, nor France, nor England, nor any country has the right to be dropping bombs." Mr Chavez added: "Let's try to help, to intercede between the parties. A ceasefire, sitting down at a table. That's the path when facing conflicts of this sort."

*The answer President Hugo, is the United Nations... Last time I looked it up, Venezuela is a member.

Until the next time

An Unlikely Alliance!

The dreary Libyan Government spokesman suggests that the aggression that his country is undergoing is due both to "Al Quaeda" and "Zionist" forces.

Blimey! It would be very unwise to activate the Israelis; they'd go through Gaddafi's mob like a dose of castor oil!

Meanwhile the bloody old congenital liar is still bleating about his cease-fire!

Until the next time.

Going In Large

Well now, yesterday I posted two pieces, the first suggesting that the UN decision to implement a no-fly zone plus other measures was "too little, too late" whilst the second stated that the first casualty of war is the truth.

As for the first of the articles, I must admit that any military credentials I might have been thought to possess have been shattered. Yes, Gadaffi's men are in Benghazi, but soon they will find themselves it seems, without any means of supply. And stupidly, I had not imagined that the UN-sanctioned coalition would go in so hard and so quickly. It seems that the French began operations even whilst the Paris summit was in progress. And now I read that already 112 "Tomahawk" cruise missiles have been fired at Libyan air defence facilities. This is serious stuff. I imagine that the coalition allies are expecting the supporters of Gadaffi to start to distance themselves from the régime.

As for the second post, the Libyan statements given out today include the biggest lie I have ever come across viz: "We have not fired a single bullet at any of our people" And as for your cease-fire... Dear oh dear.

For Gawd's sake Muammar! We might be "infidels" but we are not bloody stupid.

And a message for your supporters: no, nobody harbours colonial ambitions towards Libya and neither does anyone intend to steal your oil!

Wake up!

Until the next time

Edit/Update: Just heard an interview with a Tripoli resident who spoke frankly - and very bravely. he lives about 500 metres from an air base which was the target of coalition-launched missiles. He put the lie to Libyan Government claims of civilian casualties: he was very impressed with what he called "good shooting", in particular citing the case of a Land-Rover AA vehicle being destroyed with a single shot. He added that the people were in the street watching these events! He went on to describe Gadaffi as a man who "has run out of ideas" Perhaps he was correct; now Gadaffit is threatening civilian targets in the Mediterranean. Nothing new there, bearing in mind Lockerbie of course and Gadaffi's support for the repulsive IRA.

And: "The first casualty in war is the truth"

I have just been watching BBC news which included an extract from a press conference given by a Libyan Government spokesman, in which it was claimed that "no civilians have been killed as a result of the military operations."

I am struggling to decide whether I am more outraged by these barefaced lies themselves or by the staggering neck of their purveyors.

Connards de merde!

A la prochaine

Too Little, Too Late, Horses and Stable Doors

The news last night, welcome here at least, that the UN Security Council had voted in favour of a "no-fly" zone and other unspecified military measures, certainly provided a cause for celebration in Benghazi.

However, less than 24 hours later, we see that Gadaffi's troops are at the gates of the city, unhindered today in their rapid advance from Ajdabiya. Meanwhile, there is to be a conference tomorrow in Paris where members of the newly-formed coalition will discuss (I suppose) the realities of instituting the "no-fly" zone.

Given that the coalition has assured us all that there is to be no occupying force on the ground in Libya (and UN Resolution 1973 does not authorise this) and the well-known saw that wars are never won from the air, one feels that when asked to retreat, withdraw etc., Gadaffi who appears to hold nearly all the cards at present, will simply say "No."

And then what?

A week too late I think.

Until the next time

A Damned Good Idea

Let's face it: Gadaffi is an arsehole; similarly his bizarre and ranting son: "We are not a Mickey Mouse"...

After the balls-up in Iraq, the world in general seems rather cautious, understandable perhaps given that there is a war to win in Afghanistan.

So there is a petition to sign, asking the UN Security Council to implement a "no-fly zone" in Libya, the aim being to achieve 1,000,000 signatures. I have signed, though I have to say that place names like Tobruk and Benghazi suggest to me that a more robust response would be appropriate...

I doubt that Field-Marshal Rommel or The Auk would have done so much hand-wringing! Of course we live in different times and a different world. So for example, the British Government can waste time and money discussing plain cigarette packets whilst civilians in Libya are being murdered by their own government.

Thanks to Banned for the link to the petition.

Until the next time.

Oh Yeah?

From the rolling news feed on the BBC's coverage of the revolution in Libya, comes this:

More from Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He said it was clearly stated in the UN charter and international accords that "each nation has the right to decide its own future". As such, he said, "intervention in internal affairs, especially military interference, is unacceptable".

Well, well, well. Try telling that to the Georgians Mr Lavrov - or indeed the Chechens, you hypocrite.

Until the next time.

Good News for Smokers

Yes, there is good news, but sadly nowhere near Europe.

This excellent story comes from Frank Davis's blog:

Unfortunately, of course this comes from the country ruled by the remarkably fatheaded Hugo Chavez ("Raspberry Beret"), though it's nice to have somegood news from that part of the world for a change.

Not often smokers hear any good news. So this is one to enjoy.

March 3,2011 CARACAS -- Venezuela’s Ministry of Health has annulled by decree an anti-smoking law which would have prohibited smoking in public places and offices of work a day after it was published. By contrast to the US, Canada, Europe and Asia, Venezuela is one of the few countries that still allowed smoking in a wide variety of public places, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and stadiums.

A day after the anti-smoking law was printed in the Official Gazette, the annulment resolution was published in the Official Gazette. All laws must be published in the government's Official Gazette to be official. The text read: “to declare the absolute annulment of the resolution of environments free of smoke identified by number 014 and the date of February 24.” No motive or explanation was given for the sudden annulment.

Until the next time

Libya IV: Two Lunatics in Accord

The two are of course the fatheaded Hugo Chavez of Venezuela ("Raspberry Beret" in these pages) and the clearly deranged Colonel Gadaffi.

Both say that all the fuss is connected with the fact that the wicked western powers intend to colonise Libya and seize its oil.

It is ironic that it has been Gadaffi who has been claiming that the protesters (who of course don't exist according to the colonel since everybody loves him) have been affected by the hallucinogenic drugs given to them by Al Quaeda.

No colonel, I think it's someone else who has been on the jazz Woodbines!

Until the next time.