The BBC reports large numbers of trained, equipped, and very well-paid (thus highly-motivated) mercenaries are being trucked in from Mali, over the southern border of Libya.
Members of the Tuareg community in Mali say a large number of men from the Tuareg ethnic group have left Mali in the last week to join pro-Gaddafi forces in Libya.
"About 2-300 have left in the last seven days," said a senior elected official, who did not want to be named, from the Kidal region in the north of the country, where many Tuareg live.
Another Tuareg man from Kidal said: "It's true many young men are leaving. It all started about a week back."
He said he had spoken to a convoy of 40 vehicles who are in southern Algeria waiting to cross the border into Libya.
The elected official said: "They are being paid about $10,000 (£6,000) to join up and then I've heard they are being told that they will get $1,000 a day to fight."
Much more, and much more chilling, to be read at the link.
Gadafi has decided to stand and fight it out. All he has to do is:
1. Not get killed or injured.
2. Inflict massive bloodshed and chaos, thus wearing down any who might oppose him.
3. Hunker down, and not lose for a year.
4. Spike oil prices ToTheMoonAlice.
5. Export some chaos while he's at it, just to keep the West busy.
He saw what has happened in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is not stupid, just evil.
He knows that, even if we had the resources to launch some sort of massive military initiative (which the US, UK and NATO together now lack), there is no willingness to undertake it. No sane US politician is going to risk the life of a boy from Topeka to guard the border between Libya and Mali, attempting to stem the flow of fighters and arms.
Not. Gonna. Happen.
If we had our own domestic sources of oil, gas, coal, and nuclear, and thus impervious to the crazies who run oil-exporting countries, we would save countless lives around the world. If the Gadafis and Chavezes and Iranian kooks can't hold the world hostage, the world settles down. Lybia, Venezuela and Iran may still be terrible places, but the misery is localized, not an item for export.
Of course, we have a President who steadfastly is ignoring a federal court order to allow drilling to resume, and who will not will not will not allow this country to do the simple things necessary to secure its energy needs domestically.
Do we ever ponder why he seems to embrace chaos and poverty, when a path to prosperity and order is obvious?
Showing posts with label Lybia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lybia. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Rule #34 Of Modern Warfare: If You Wanna Get The Upper Hand, Create Masses of Refugees
Who fill the roads, and arrive to the borders (and eventual refugee camps) destitute, exhausted, famished, and at their wit's end. The other side gets to feed, house, treat, transport them--just to get to be able to get back to the business of advancing on your positions.
Then begin the meme that it's all the other side's fault anyway, and look how shabbily those poor people are being treated...
Unfortunately, it works. Think Europe in the 40's. Korea. Cambodia. Viet Nam and its Boat People. The Marielitos. The latest war in the Balkans. Palestine.
It works like a charm. Every time.
Here's hoping the world gets these poor folks out of the line of fire, and as many of them from overseas home as quickly as possible.
And, that in the aftermath, some sane people can sort Libya out. This is tragic, no other word will do.
This further from the BBC.
Then begin the meme that it's all the other side's fault anyway, and look how shabbily those poor people are being treated...
Unfortunately, it works. Think Europe in the 40's. Korea. Cambodia. Viet Nam and its Boat People. The Marielitos. The latest war in the Balkans. Palestine.
It works like a charm. Every time.
Here's hoping the world gets these poor folks out of the line of fire, and as many of them from overseas home as quickly as possible.
And, that in the aftermath, some sane people can sort Libya out. This is tragic, no other word will do.
This further from the BBC.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Gaddafi: Going Out In A Sea Of Blood, Which He Considers A Blaze Of Glory
The France 24 live blog link is here.
In the meantime, the fallout seems to be spreading from the North African meltdown, including the sudden resignation of the French foreign minister.
The British, with what remains of their military, demonstrated their grit and pluck by extracting 150 of their countrymen from the desert yesterday. Wonder if someone in London regrets decommissioning that aircraft carrier and abandoning all those Harriers yet?
The Canadians, on the other hand, sent a plane to the airport for their people, and took off with the plane still empty. Oh, Canada!
Gaddafi has taken a page from Castro's and Arafat's playbook: When the going gets tough, create chaos. A full-blown refugee crisis is in the making, food distribution is breaking down, and the harbor and airport are full of ships and planes trying to get their foreign nationals the hell out of Dodge City while they still can. Chaos provides cover if one is determined to win at all costs, or barring that, get out with one's skin and a few billion and the harem to keep one warm.
Also interesting to see just how many people, beginning with Chavez and Gordon Brown, have been in bed with this monster for how many years. More on that latuh, ya'll...
In the meantime, Gadafi's world seems to be getting smaller by the day.
However, he could still book it to the southern regions, with plenty of cash, arms and mercenaries, and create chaos as a warlord.
Now, OS will spend some time heading down Memory Lane this week, looking for all those 'statesmen' who condemned Reagan for sending the US Navy after this monster in the 80's. How many lives would have been saved, had our boys managed to knock him off?
In the meantime, the fallout seems to be spreading from the North African meltdown, including the sudden resignation of the French foreign minister.
The British, with what remains of their military, demonstrated their grit and pluck by extracting 150 of their countrymen from the desert yesterday. Wonder if someone in London regrets decommissioning that aircraft carrier and abandoning all those Harriers yet?
The Canadians, on the other hand, sent a plane to the airport for their people, and took off with the plane still empty. Oh, Canada!
Gaddafi has taken a page from Castro's and Arafat's playbook: When the going gets tough, create chaos. A full-blown refugee crisis is in the making, food distribution is breaking down, and the harbor and airport are full of ships and planes trying to get their foreign nationals the hell out of Dodge City while they still can. Chaos provides cover if one is determined to win at all costs, or barring that, get out with one's skin and a few billion and the harem to keep one warm.
Also interesting to see just how many people, beginning with Chavez and Gordon Brown, have been in bed with this monster for how many years. More on that latuh, ya'll...
In the meantime, Gadafi's world seems to be getting smaller by the day.
However, he could still book it to the southern regions, with plenty of cash, arms and mercenaries, and create chaos as a warlord.
Now, OS will spend some time heading down Memory Lane this week, looking for all those 'statesmen' who condemned Reagan for sending the US Navy after this monster in the 80's. How many lives would have been saved, had our boys managed to knock him off?
Friday, February 25, 2011
Gaddafi Gears Up To Fight
This from today's Financial Times.
Muammer Gaddafi, Libyan leader, seems to have the military and economic ability to defend his 41-year rule, raising the prospect of the political revolt against him developing into civil war.
Analysts said the colonel could call on a ragtag collection of forces – including mercenaries, fighters trained since youth, and a militia run by his son Khamis – to fight for control of enough of his country and its oilfields to keep a grip on power.
The assessment suggests that, while the leader’s sudden overthrow cannot be ruled out, deposing him may require an even bigger effort than the weeks of protest that have this year forced the Tunisian and Egyptian presidents from office.
Libya experts said the colonel also had citizens’ militias and African mercenaries, which have long been a plank of his security strategy.
He has been closely involved with the politics of a number of conflict-ridden sub-Saharan African nations over the years; Libya has served as a training ground for rebels such as Charles Taylor, the Liberian warlord and former president now being tried for war crimes.
So, he's got troops, weapons, cash, an absolute commitment to power, and absolutely no conscience.
Guess he's not planning on using that Gulfstream, after all...
HT Financial Times, ya'll:
Please respect FT.com's ts&cs and copyright policy which allow you to: share links; copy content for personal use; & redistribute limited extracts. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights or use this link to reference the article - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/37d3c100-404d-11e0-9140-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1EvxjNU6w
Muammer Gaddafi, Libyan leader, seems to have the military and economic ability to defend his 41-year rule, raising the prospect of the political revolt against him developing into civil war.
Analysts said the colonel could call on a ragtag collection of forces – including mercenaries, fighters trained since youth, and a militia run by his son Khamis – to fight for control of enough of his country and its oilfields to keep a grip on power.
The assessment suggests that, while the leader’s sudden overthrow cannot be ruled out, deposing him may require an even bigger effort than the weeks of protest that have this year forced the Tunisian and Egyptian presidents from office.
Libya experts said the colonel also had citizens’ militias and African mercenaries, which have long been a plank of his security strategy.
He has been closely involved with the politics of a number of conflict-ridden sub-Saharan African nations over the years; Libya has served as a training ground for rebels such as Charles Taylor, the Liberian warlord and former president now being tried for war crimes.
So, he's got troops, weapons, cash, an absolute commitment to power, and absolutely no conscience.
Guess he's not planning on using that Gulfstream, after all...
HT Financial Times, ya'll:
Please respect FT.com's ts&cs and copyright policy which allow you to: share links; copy content for personal use; & redistribute limited extracts. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights or use this link to reference the article - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/37d3c100-404d-11e0-9140-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1EvxjNU6w
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Gaddafi's Gulfstream Moment May Be Slipping Away
In order to have that Magic Gulfstream Moment, a despot needs three essentials:
1. A Gulfstream
2. A pilot
3. A place to land
This nugget just discovered in today's Telegraph live-blog of events in Libya:
14.10 The pilot of Col Gaddafi's private jet, who is Norwegian, has fled Libya, reports have claimed. Odd Birger Johansen, 57, flew to Vienna with his wife and daughter after fearing for their lives in Libya, the BBC reported. Mr Johansen is reportedly one of four personal pilots used by the long-standing Libyan leader.
Oops.
And, as to that place to land: One wonders if even Chavez or Castro would be able to provide safe haven.
Chad, anyone?
The live blog does a good job giving a sense of the chaos that has descended.
1. A Gulfstream
2. A pilot
3. A place to land
This nugget just discovered in today's Telegraph live-blog of events in Libya:
14.10 The pilot of Col Gaddafi's private jet, who is Norwegian, has fled Libya, reports have claimed. Odd Birger Johansen, 57, flew to Vienna with his wife and daughter after fearing for their lives in Libya, the BBC reported. Mr Johansen is reportedly one of four personal pilots used by the long-standing Libyan leader.
Oops.
And, as to that place to land: One wonders if even Chavez or Castro would be able to provide safe haven.
Chad, anyone?
The live blog does a good job giving a sense of the chaos that has descended.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Donald Sensing, Sense Of Events: Insights On the Libyan Fighters Defected To Malta
Donald Sensing speaks eruditely on matters military, as he provides insight from photos of the jets on the ground.
They had been dispatched to attack the crowds, with air-to-ground weapons pods affixed.
The second photo tells a story. It is a closeup of the rear of an antipersonnel rocket pod. The pod used by the Mirage fighter is the SNEB pod, the name being the acronym of its manufacturer. Each SNEB pod holds either 18 or 19 rockets, depending on the type.
However, blowing up this image reveals rocket-exhaust nozzles in the mid-twenties count; a better view is in this image. So this appears not to be a SNEB pod. But it is an air-to-ground weapon, which only shows how lethal Qaddafi is willing to be against his own people.
And that means he does not consider them his own people at all.
The pilots, blessedly, chose to defect, thereby sparing hundreds of lives. Heaven only knows what became of their families back home as a result of their defection.
The entire article, as well as Mr. Sensing's thoughts in general, are recommended reading.
They had been dispatched to attack the crowds, with air-to-ground weapons pods affixed.
The second photo tells a story. It is a closeup of the rear of an antipersonnel rocket pod. The pod used by the Mirage fighter is the SNEB pod, the name being the acronym of its manufacturer. Each SNEB pod holds either 18 or 19 rockets, depending on the type.
However, blowing up this image reveals rocket-exhaust nozzles in the mid-twenties count; a better view is in this image. So this appears not to be a SNEB pod. But it is an air-to-ground weapon, which only shows how lethal Qaddafi is willing to be against his own people.
And that means he does not consider them his own people at all.
The pilots, blessedly, chose to defect, thereby sparing hundreds of lives. Heaven only knows what became of their families back home as a result of their defection.
The entire article, as well as Mr. Sensing's thoughts in general, are recommended reading.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Why Our Refusal To Drill And Refine Our Own Oil, Mine Our Own Coal, Build Our Nuclear Plants, Etc. Will Come To Haunt Us...
...sooner, rather than later.
Bloomberg on oil futures overnight...
The US made a cultural decision to not develop its own resources.
This will have economic consequences.
OS's masthead idea holds true. When we begin to make better choices as a culture, we will do better as an economy.
Not until then.
Bloomberg on oil futures overnight...
The US made a cultural decision to not develop its own resources.
This will have economic consequences.
OS's masthead idea holds true. When we begin to make better choices as a culture, we will do better as an economy.
Not until then.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Gadafi's Gulfstream Moment Approaches: Phone Up Hugo Chavez!
Having fled Tripoli for parts unknown, that golden moment now arrives for Colonel Gadafi: Where does one fly the Gulfstream, or in his case, the fleet of Gulfstreams.
There's the harem, and the gold reserves, and the family to load up.
And it's not just any harem, ya'll...
Charismatic and wildly unpredictable – almost to the point of madness – this is a man who clearly loves the company of beautiful young women (as illustrated by the 40 beauties of the notorious Amazonian Guard who act as his personal bodyguards) and yet leads one of the most conservative Islamic states in the Arab world.
That contradiction could prove to be a leading cause of his downfall.
The members of the Amazonian Guard have to be virgins. These brutal beauties are reportedly trained in martial arts and the use of firearms at a special academy, where they are turned into lethal and blindly loyal killers.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1358972/Libya-protests-Gaddafi-flees-Tripoli-parliament-building-set-alight.html#ixzz1EcHjbGax
It's not like he can book it to London--Gordon Brown's not there to welcome him anymore, and the families of all those people his agents murdered over Lockerbie are still, well, really unhappy about that day in 1988, and the subsequent release of his agent by the Scots. So, Edinburgh's out, too. Hmm....
Bahrain! Let's head to Bahrain! Well, no...looks like they're loading the Gulfstreams there themselves, and Riyadh ain't looking too friendly either.
There's always Indonesia--buy a small island and hole up with the harem/bodyguard corps. And it's a Muslim country. They can be bought off. But it's so...Indonesia.
Singapore? Just show 'em the money, honey! But, they do have that thing about being respectable...extradition laws, courts, British-style justice system....hmmm....
Malaysia? Any friends in Malaysia? But, you can't drink...
Burma? They understand what it means to be a murderous pariah dictatorship--it can be lonely, you know. Unlimited cash and a harem do help though. But, they could take all the money and the girls, and what's a poor despot to do then?
What to do? What to do? Gotta call on an old friend when the rain begins to fall...
Chavez!!! Hugo-baby!!! Que pasa?
After all, the Colonel awarded Hugo the Gadafi Prize for Human Rights in 2004.
Really...can't make it up. The Gadafi Prize for Human Rights, awarded to Hugo Chavez...
So, looks like he'll have to ditch the Gulfstreams, grab the private 747, load the bullion and the harem, and arrange for a refuel in the Canaries. Betcha Hugo has a nice private island off the coast for his homeboy.
Of course, the question arises: When the Gulfstream moment arrives for Hugo, where does he go? Can he take Mohamar with him?
Now, OS has one thing to say in the wake of all these surreal events.
For a long long long time, a lot of sober people have been saying, repeatedly:
We need to supply our own needs for oil, coal, gas and electricity domestically, here in the US. If we are dependent upon places like Venezuela, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Angola--need we go on?--we are going to be in a world of hurt one day.
We need to supply our own needs for oil, coal, gas and electricity domestically, here in the US. If we are dependent upon places like Venezuela, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Angola--need we go on?--we are going to be in a world of hurt one day.
We need to supply our own needs for oil, coal, gas and electricity domestically, here in the US. If we are dependent upon places like Venezuela, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Angola--need we go on?--we are going to be in a world of hurt one day.
That day may be upon us. We have allowed people, in both parties, but especially amongst the Dems, who are willfully blind and negligent, to set policy, and to endanger our lives by refusing to make obvious choices.
Chin-straps on, ya'll...we may be approaching a moment when a bunch of Gulfstreams will be aloft, looking for places to land.
There's the harem, and the gold reserves, and the family to load up.
And it's not just any harem, ya'll...
Charismatic and wildly unpredictable – almost to the point of madness – this is a man who clearly loves the company of beautiful young women (as illustrated by the 40 beauties of the notorious Amazonian Guard who act as his personal bodyguards) and yet leads one of the most conservative Islamic states in the Arab world.
That contradiction could prove to be a leading cause of his downfall.
The members of the Amazonian Guard have to be virgins. These brutal beauties are reportedly trained in martial arts and the use of firearms at a special academy, where they are turned into lethal and blindly loyal killers.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1358972/Libya-protests-Gaddafi-flees-Tripoli-parliament-building-set-alight.html#ixzz1EcHjbGax
It's not like he can book it to London--Gordon Brown's not there to welcome him anymore, and the families of all those people his agents murdered over Lockerbie are still, well, really unhappy about that day in 1988, and the subsequent release of his agent by the Scots. So, Edinburgh's out, too. Hmm....
Bahrain! Let's head to Bahrain! Well, no...looks like they're loading the Gulfstreams there themselves, and Riyadh ain't looking too friendly either.
There's always Indonesia--buy a small island and hole up with the harem/bodyguard corps. And it's a Muslim country. They can be bought off. But it's so...Indonesia.
Singapore? Just show 'em the money, honey! But, they do have that thing about being respectable...extradition laws, courts, British-style justice system....hmmm....
Malaysia? Any friends in Malaysia? But, you can't drink...
Burma? They understand what it means to be a murderous pariah dictatorship--it can be lonely, you know. Unlimited cash and a harem do help though. But, they could take all the money and the girls, and what's a poor despot to do then?
What to do? What to do? Gotta call on an old friend when the rain begins to fall...
Chavez!!! Hugo-baby!!! Que pasa?
After all, the Colonel awarded Hugo the Gadafi Prize for Human Rights in 2004.
Really...can't make it up. The Gadafi Prize for Human Rights, awarded to Hugo Chavez...
So, looks like he'll have to ditch the Gulfstreams, grab the private 747, load the bullion and the harem, and arrange for a refuel in the Canaries. Betcha Hugo has a nice private island off the coast for his homeboy.
Of course, the question arises: When the Gulfstream moment arrives for Hugo, where does he go? Can he take Mohamar with him?
Now, OS has one thing to say in the wake of all these surreal events.
For a long long long time, a lot of sober people have been saying, repeatedly:
We need to supply our own needs for oil, coal, gas and electricity domestically, here in the US. If we are dependent upon places like Venezuela, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Angola--need we go on?--we are going to be in a world of hurt one day.
We need to supply our own needs for oil, coal, gas and electricity domestically, here in the US. If we are dependent upon places like Venezuela, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Angola--need we go on?--we are going to be in a world of hurt one day.
We need to supply our own needs for oil, coal, gas and electricity domestically, here in the US. If we are dependent upon places like Venezuela, Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Angola--need we go on?--we are going to be in a world of hurt one day.
That day may be upon us. We have allowed people, in both parties, but especially amongst the Dems, who are willfully blind and negligent, to set policy, and to endanger our lives by refusing to make obvious choices.
Chin-straps on, ya'll...we may be approaching a moment when a bunch of Gulfstreams will be aloft, looking for places to land.
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