Posted on 08/22/2011 5:52:34 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Two of Moammar Gadhafi's sons, who had been reported captured over the weekend, were free early Tuesday as forces loyal to the embattled Libyan leader battled rebels trying to consolidate their hold on Tripoli.
Saif al-Islam Gadhafi showed up at the Rixos Hotel, one of the remaining strongholds of pro-Gadhafi forces, in a convoy of armored Land Cruisers. In a brief interview with CNN's Matthew Chance, he said his father and several of his sisters were safe in Tripoli, and that loyal troops had "broken the back" of the rebels who moved into the capital over the weekend.
Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, who is wanted on war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, had been reported captured on Sunday along with two of his brothers. Another of those siblings, Mohammed Gadhafi, was reported to have escaped Monday, according to the Libyan ambassador to the United States.
There was no immediate explanation from the National Transitional Council, the rebel leadership that had announced their capture Sunday.
The younger Gadhafi said news of his arrest had been a trick by the rebels, and that he had been traveling around Tripoli in his armored convoy the entire time. He said that government forces had lured the rebels into a trap in the capital, and that Gadhafi loyalists "have broken the spines of those rats and those gangsters."
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the ICC's chief prosecutor, had said Sunday that he would seek Saif al-Islam Gadhafi's extradition following his capture. Asked about the warrant for his arrest, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi told reporters, "To hell with the ICC."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Even Obama is too smart to say "Mission accomplished." But it looks like he and his supporters are reaching for the checkered flag before it's time.
At this point, until he either shows up in another country or behind bars, I can't believe anything about this end-game.
The media simply makes things up these days. Just makes it up outright. If they reported it was dark at night, there's more than a 50 percent chance it will be bright and sunlit.
Every single word the media says or prints is a lie, including 'and' and 'the'.
Well, that ought to do it...the mercenaries are probably cutting off the Libyan dollar portion and spending it right now...
He said that government forces had lured the rebels into a trap in the capital, and that Gadhafi loyalists "have broken the spines of those rats and those gangsters."It'll be interesting to see what happens to the spin doctors if the rebels wind up having to flee (those who are left that is). NATO will have to step up their bombing runs on Tripoli, which should make them really popular.
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As long as NATO is acting as the Air Force for the rebels, the end result of this conflict is inevitable. The Ghadafy loyalists have gradually been losing their armour, heavy artillery and rocket batteries, none of which they are able to replace.
That is so true. Its hard to believe but almost everything we are told by the feds and the media is a lie. As an American I cannot believe anything, and I mean ANYTHING that the media or the feds tell us.
I heard the NATO briefing and press conference this morning. They were very emphatic that they were only protecting civilians and were not acting as the air force for the rebels. Meanwhile, NATO planes were knocking down the walls around Gaddafi's compound, as shown live by a journalist just outside with the rebels. A commentator was saying this morning that NATO is now acting as the enforcement arm of the U.N., a very scary proposition.
Reuters Reuters Top News
GADDAFI FORCES DEFENDED COMPOUND BUT RESISTANCE NOW STOPPED - REUTERS REPORTERS
10 minutes ago »
Reuters Reuters Top News
LIBYAN REBELS ENTER MUAMMAR GADDAFI BAB AL-AZIZIYA COMPOUND - REUTERS REPORTERS AT COMPOUND
11 minutes ago
Reuters Reuters Top News
Libyan rebels seen firing into air inside Gadhafi compound in celebration -Reuters reporters
10 minutes ago
Why would they have these things printed in English? Could NATO possibly be that incompetent?
But then letting the Rebels walk into a trap like that is pretty incompetent too...
Amazing!
Yesterday I posted a link that included report that Gaddafi has hundreds of miles of tunnels, and well stocked bunkers under Tripoli. If the rebels have the main compound, they will no doubt find these tunnels and the war will hit a new phase. Meanwhile here is more Libya info. The BBC lists an interactive map link showing ongoing fighting in Tripoli. Also a number of very recent Tweets saying the compound has indeed been taken.
I put up a thread about the tunnels a couple of hours ago. I’m on the phone right now so I can’t link it.
The next phase of how will all these people be disarmed, or will anyone try (trying could be hazardous)? Saw the links at (your) earlier post. I would have probably not tried to keep up (and presently am failing to keep up) had you not been providing updates. Thank you for each and every update.
Deals between the rebel leaders and the British,French, Europe as a whole had better be maturing shortly. Lots of money will have to be poured into Libya, lots. The Russians and Chinese, one can be certain, are watching things very closely.
I think Johann Strauss once wrote an operetta with a similar storyline.
And who thinks it is a coincidence that the citizens of Arab/Islamic dictatorships that are at least somewhat pro US and pro Western are having a much much easier time overthrowing the regimes than those of anti US regimes firmly aligned with Islamist struggles against us, both officiallly and secretly. Look at how easily Egypt, Tunisia and Libya et all are undergoing regime changes vs Iran, Syria and Iraq-where of course US interference was needed to exact the regime change.
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