Large Libyan military convoy arrives in Niger: source

AFP via Google News ^ | September 6, 2011 | AFP

[Truth29]

"It would be stretching the UN resolution to its breaking point for NATO to attack a convoy that is in full retreat away from the battlefield and which poses no threat to civilians."

They didn 't, in this case, but so what? The UN resolution has long since become a mockery. Enforcing a no fly zone turned into a full fledged war with bombing of military and civilian targets, attacks on troops both attacking and fleeing, bombing defensive lines as rebels attacked, attacks on government targets ranging from military bases to TV stations to residences, not to mention introduction of special forces ground troops. Just like in the US political discourse, language has been mangled to mean anything the advocate wants.

[Dengar01]

You couldn’t pay me enough money in the world to step foot in one craphole country in that AIDS infested continent...

[gandalftb]

French military sources say there was between 200 and 250 vehicles, escorted by Niger army vehicles. Certainly they would have been carrying the mercenaries from Niger and Chad and Burkina, etc.

Unlikely Gaddafi moves the gold in such an obvious way.

He would use this as a ruse to distract NATO.

The Touregs are a wild bunch and know no borders, they would extract a heavy price from Qaddafi. Burkina Faso would hardly be a safe place for that gold.

Qaddafi has 5 billion, that's 160,000 pounds of gold. He could be quite safe right now in Sirte, a busy port city on the Med. He could easily have that gold in any number of ordinary freighters that could go anywhere in the world, undetected.

The world is far too busy thinking he's a nut case.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

This operations shall henceforth be known as Obama's Africa Gold Robbery

[rfreedom4u]

Seems to me that the best determination of a “destabilized African country” is the amount of money America pours into it. The more money; the more destabilized.

[gleeaikin]

Here is another link with more details about the Mali crossing, with more than a dozen journalists contributing.

http://news.yahoo.com/libyan-army-convoy-niger-may-gadaffi-deal-030824775.html

This article covers various sources of arms for Gaddafi after the rebels were fully engaged in fighting. As in the previous link, Algeria seems to be of possible importance. While Chinese arms companies are purported to have acted without govt. knowledge, the rebels repeat there intentions to honor existing contracts with China.

http://news.yahoo.com/libyans-china-europe-sent-arms-gaddafi-074458911.html

This link describes the probably peaceful surrender of Beni Walid, from which Gaddafi’s core supporters appear to have fled to Mali. Tribal elders have been negotiating here and in Sirte, which also may be close to surrender. The million strong Warfalla tribe seems to be the key. I believe the early in the fighting the Warfalla seemed to be on the side of the rebels, but changed their mind later. Ah, politics.

http://news.yahoo.com/libya-rebels-enter-pro-gaddafi-town-deal-report-052142629.html

This link has many details of many things happening in Libya, water restored in Tripoli, Burkina Faso denies information about Gaddafi headed there, Sebha surrounded by rebels and low on food and water, and near the top a link on the Sirte negotiations.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8716240/Libya-live.html

[drewh]

[Scythian]

AP - Shown above is the vast Libyan Armada.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks americanophile.

...amid speculation that toppled leader Moamer Kadhafi may be in it. "There are persistent rumours that Kadhafi or one of his sons are travelling in the convoy," the source said.

[SunkenCiv]

Whoops! Thanks gleeaikin.

“There was a young lady from Niger, who smiled as she rode on a tiger / they returned from their ride with the lady inside and the smile on the face of the tiger.”

[gleeaikin]

Here is more information on the “vast Libyan armada.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8745665/Libya-Mystery-of-Gaddafi-and-the-gold-laden-convoy-crossing-the-desert-to-Niger.html

[1010RD]

Europe for all its known history has been a cauldron of vicious political opportunism. We’re falling for the liberal line if we believe Europe is a peaceful, gentle place. The fact that they practice socialism disproves that.

There is no honor among thieves.

[1010RD]

You can see there is an alternate political agenda to the publicly announced agenda. Had their mission been strictly adhered to, Khadafy would have won through stalemate or perhaps the country would be partitioned. In this case, simply resisting was viewed as a hostile act.

Resisting at or near an oil field or refinery was equivalent to genocide and NATO responded accordingly.

A famous Chicagoan, speaking like an ordinary Democrat, once said, “You get much further with a kind word and a gun, than with a kind word alone.”