I’m back, thanks to the don’t-call-it-a-depression. Thanks to this brief correction in the US economy, then. My new job lasted three months. I did all the right things, too, even smiled. Didn’t matter. I was the last hired, and you know how that one finishes up. They were sorry to see me go, and could you go right now, please? We need the monitor.
I missed a lot of great stuff in the war world these last few months. I’ll try to catch up, item by item, as often as I can. In between those application letters that make you feel even worse than usual, and getting the 12 or so hours of sleep that you need when being awake means remembering you’re totally useless, nobody wants you, just like you always figured.
Read more: Africa, berber, Libya, Qaddafi, the war nerd, war, Gary Brecher, The War Nerd
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78 Comments
Add your own1. DerDer | August 17th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Huzzah new war nerd. If I had a kalashnikov I would be wildly shooting it in the air.
2. Rumi | August 17th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Finalement de retour! Toujours aussi agréable à lire.
3. DrunktankDan | August 17th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Welcome back to the squalor of unemployment with internet access! Enjoy it man, if you can convince enough people to donate maybe you can afford a little 1 BD 1/2 Bath with central air out in Bakersfield!
4. aleke | August 17th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Haha you are a goddamn american patriot, that’s for sure, believing even halfway that media narrative about the Mad Dog. He was ‘stingy’ with his own people?? Ha! How did libya shoot from one of the poorest lil saharan holes into the highest HDI in all of Africa? Come on, gary me mate, even those ‘rebels’ are running around in gucci loafers, its real fuckin nice being a Libyan, especially in that corner of the world, even as NATO peacekeeping shells pound all of your civilian infrastructure and deteriorate that quality.
Its no mistake that the national bank of Libya has enormous gold deposits, and the cartoonishly evil banker’s cabal want at that gold. Even the jester sarkozy calling it “the biggest threat to global financial security” or something, because Libya could actually help Africa fight off the next phase of colonial slavery, not to mention all the good their national bank did for developing Libyan infrastructure and business. I know the world is hilarious, but don’t tell me you’ve bought into that american cynicism that shifts the gaze into the third world, when living in Libya is probably much less corrupt and more forgiving than the USA. Don’t let’s be stupid and fall for the lies, ya can use your head on this one! Check the HDI and their policy towards foreign corporations (hint: they demand foreign corporations support Libyan wellbeing, right there in the responsibility clause), not to mention African and national investment.
As far as Chad goes, call it a hunch, but I bet you had some western backing against gadaffi that turned the tide. There is never, ever, anything that goes on in Africa without at least western imperial, oligarchical, or corporate involvement, and let’s face it, Libya has been a thorn in the side of the West for far too long.
5. Derek | August 17th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
An unemployed, depressed War Nerd makes for long articles and happy Exiled readers.
Sorry, and thanks!
6. Starburn | August 17th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
The key part of Gaddafi’s forces are probably the Khamis Brigade.
As for why he’s still around it’s a mix of things. The rebels don’t have much in the way of logistics so they don’t travel well. They also have pretty weak command and control which is a significant problem once the fight becomes more complex than “hold your street against the government”. There are rumours of NATO red lines (set up to prevent bombing of the rebels) holding things up but that seems like wishful thinking on the part of the rebels.
An uprising in Tripoli is unlikely to be successful. To much security and combined with a fair degree of actual support for Gaddafi.
As for taking Tripoli from outside each of the rebel groups faces problems. A fair chunk of the Benghazi population seems to be acting as if the war is over which reduces the manpower they can deploy. In any case even if the Benghazi rebels were successful they would have to go through Sirt which is loyal to is loyal to Gaddafi (home town). As a result the Benghazi rebels are not in a position to end things.
The mountain rebels are the most mobile group. Historically low level war was common in that area (look at all the fortified granaries) and depending on how intact their culture is it probably better set up for keeping fighting men in the field. However they are very unlikely to have the numbers to take Tripoli.
Which leaves Misrata they may have the numbers to take Tripoli but their supply chains aren’t the best (they are having to ship stuff in by sea from Benghazi) and I’m not sure they have even a Benghazi standard of leadership. Gaddafi also knows they are a threat and appears to a fair bit of his forces deployed to Zliten (last major population center before tripoli). The recent Misratan advance towards Sirt has made significantly more progress which suggests they are meeting far less opposition.
The Misratan rebels are also apparently having issues with the local tribes which is making their advance harder.
7. Bollox | August 17th, 2011 at 4:53 pm
This should lift your depression. When Londoners cleaned up with brooms after the rioters and looters had done their work, who were the only people to stand up and fight to stop the rioters?
The WN’s favourites; the Turks (& Kurds together) and the Sikhs.
Glory to the Turks:
http://tinyurl.com/3dy4bpk
Sikhs won’t take any crap: http://tinyurl.com/4xd2reh
Libya ? When will it end? It’s so tediously dull…….
8. Roquentin | August 17th, 2011 at 6:41 pm
Anything that means more War Nerd columns isn’t all bad. Playing by their rules won’t save you in the end, as painful as it is to admit.
Good luck finding work.
9. jonnym | August 17th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Nice to see you back Gary! Since you’re unemployed now, any chance of you writing a second book?
10. Tall Saul | August 17th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
Who needs to take Tripoli? Just hold the surrounding towns and roads, NATO will keep blockading the ports, and let nature take its course.
It’s only a matter of time before someone from the remnants of his government decide that it is better to try to buy his (or her) way into the good graces of the NTC by delivering Gadhafi’s head on a stick than to risk spending the rest of his life rotting in a cell next to Gadhafi in the basement of the Hague.
11. Flatulissimo | August 17th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
I thought it was simply the War Nerd making a joke, a parody of what a lame BBC story might be. Exaggerated for effect, it must be, I thought. Yet there it is:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14557204
Scottish SPCA helps silly cow remove head from ladder
“The farmer’s family rounded up the whole herd into a holding pen and we managed to gently pull the ladder off the cow’s head.”
I grew up in BFE on a farm, and even our local once-a-week paper, that ran church listings and high school basketball scores…and ended every story with “and a good time was had by all”… wouldn’t run this as a story.
Jesus, I still can’t believe this is real. This has to be some sort of BBC version of the Onion and I’m just too dumb to see the disclaimer.
12. Nom de Plume | August 17th, 2011 at 10:57 pm
Thank the Lord God high in the heavens for letting the War Nerd write again!!!!!!! I’ve waited months for this!!!!!!
13. Erik | August 18th, 2011 at 12:21 am
Maybe they stick with Gadhafi because , as #4 says, he DID in fact spread some of the oil money around inside Libya; politics is about bread and circuses and Gadhafi delivers both.
Every Libyan can see that the ‘rebels’ are just treacherous imperialist tools, fighting for a sliver of the oil action and the longer this goes on, the weaker the ‘rebels’ look and the more cousins will have been killed by NATO bombs.
NATO made the classical mistake: “…and then the locals will rise up in our support.”
14. John Emerson | August 18th, 2011 at 3:54 am
Qaddafi’s doing rap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBY-0n4esNY
15. John Emerson | August 18th, 2011 at 4:01 am
More Qaddafi rap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUVJChrtdBs
16. Tim | August 18th, 2011 at 7:52 am
Welcome back War Nerd!
Regarding Libya: explain in detail why China and Russia (+Germany, Brazil, India) abstained on the UN Libya vote? {“Libya resolution: UN security council air strikes vote – as it happened” @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/17/libya-united-nations-air-strikes-live } In what way do they profit from what’s going on in Libya?
Regarding unemployment: make it into your advantage!
17. elbasto | August 18th, 2011 at 10:01 am
Hey there.
I love your articles.
If you have free time I really recommend swimming. It changed my life. Try it three times a week for a month and you’ll see amazing results.
You don’t need to be slim to try it, it’s really great and in my opinion the best “value for time” sport if you are looking to improve your overall health.
Thanks for your great insights.
18. TheWarTurd | August 18th, 2011 at 11:19 am
All Hail the War Nerd!!!
Hey WN, could you please do an article on 26/11?? Please, please, please. I mean 8 guys hold a city to ransom for 3 days? something weird was going on. And the news reports in India are either hyper-patriotic or hyper-cynical…Could you please break it down for us common folks??
19. Bob | August 18th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
“Silly cow” was an unusually juvenile story to find the BBC running as a main item. I’m guessing it was meant to soften the excess doom and gloom from the riots and continuing economic meltdown. Another little joke that goes largely unnoticed: play any video, then have a close look at the volume control …
20. hbd chick | August 18th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
i’m not afraid of mentioning the ethnic groups in libya (not to mention all the tribes!):
libya — land o’ tribes
21. Tom | August 18th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
#4 is absolutely right. It was the French, btw, regarding Chad.
22. Michal | August 18th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
The reason why some people stick with Gaddafi is because they got their hands on the oil money. The reason why places like Benghazi, Derna, Tobruk rose is partly because they were intentionally kept down by the central government. Gaddafi thought the poorer they will be, the easier they will be to control. Now they’re fighting not just for freedom, but a fair share of the oil money.
Should Gaddafi fall though, places like Tripoli or Syrte will logically economically suffer, because the money will be more equally spread. Those are the places where Gaddafi sploshed his money on loyal tribes. People in those places objectively had a pretty good life, so they’re fighting for their life standard. They’re still a bunch of bastards though, so I hope they lose.
23. Brazilian Guy | August 18th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Sucks that you are unemployed, but you were sorely missed during this “arab spring” thing.
I really missed your style, man. Nobody can write stuff like this as good as you do, with this natural flow:
“It’s not easy going from a Benghazi jewelry dealer or student-on-scholarship to crawling around the desert listening for incoming testimonials to Russian engineering.”
24. Michal | August 18th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
Also @4. I’m sorry but about the whole “Libya is a socialist paradise” pitch – I ain’t buying it. I’m reading this all over the internet: Libya has a high HDI, this means the place is awesome! Well it ain’t. They have the literacy of an Equatorial Guinea and lag behind fucking Burma. In WHO statistics their healthcare system competes with Bangladesh and ranks thirty places below Albania. People go to Tunisia or Egypt for treatment with shit like goiter.
Ever looked at Libya on sattelite? At least a third of Tripoli roads are unpaved.
Meanwhile, according to Saif Islam, Libya has one hundred billion USD in banks abroad. That’s the entirety of Libyan GDP. Supposedly for “investments purposes.” It’s as if president of the united states stored thirteen trillion dollars in swiss accounts saying “it’s alright, it’ll be invested. You can trust me.” Well why isn’t Gaddafi investing in his own people? Why is the money used to buy his sons cars, houses in London and Nelly Furtado performances?
The reason why Libya has what it has is the oil revenue, but definitely not some sort of spectacular management on part of the ruling dynasty.
25. John Drinkwater | August 18th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I like how they keep predicting Qadafi’s fall. Wishful thinking reported as fact:
From November 1917 to November 1919, the New York Times reported that the Bolsheviks were about to fall or had already fallen a total of 91 times.
26. matt | August 18th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
“I’m sorry but about the whole “Libya is a socialist paradise” pitch – I ain’t buying it.”
I haven’t heard anyone say it’s a socialist paradise, just that some of it’s oil is used to better it’s people, which to some extent it has. homelessness, illiteracy, and poverty were vastly worse before he came to power. He’s allowed enough of it to trickle down to the people, and the security services to keep them from starving or staging revolts due to economic distress such as in Egypt. All the while making sure enough is left over to buy his children mercedes, and soccer teams, and ivy league educations.
27. Alen | August 18th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
I don’t see anyone complaining about wealth and power of 2000 Saudi princes, or of Brunei ruler. Money is property of Libya, not of Gaddafi family. His childen have their education and maybe a flat and a boat. Last year year Saif was here in Croatia in a yacht that was not visible among other boats of better standing european businessmen.
When in Yugoslavia Tito died, his children got nothing. Everything was property of the state.
28. allen | August 18th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
According to whoever wrote the wikipedia entry, at least, the French gave the Chadians a little more than Toyotas and machine guns. They were given anti-tank rockets as well plus some other small ordinance stuff.
As well the Chadian forces were pretty motivated and commanded by competent leaders, whereas Lybia just plunked a bunch of guys down in the desert who didn’t really want to be there anyway.
As for Muamar, the news seems to indicate rebel progress in terms of controlling more and more cities and towns. Assuming it’s true, it looks like the rebels are winning a slow victory with NATO air cover. The real question is what happens when they come to Tripoli?
One thing is that it seems like the fate of millions is being decided by a “War” where the “battles” are really only small skirmishes between small bands of guys. One recent report had a town in play and the contest as being between one hundred Gahdafi guys and a few dozen rebels.
So what really constitutes “winning” here?
29. gary | August 18th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
i know he’s an asshole but i can’t help rooting for muammar…first off he is got a hell of a dresser…. and second because the shorty sarkozy is against him….also why don’t start a fund for gary,he sure is worth a few bucks from each of us
30. franc black | August 18th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
Welcome back, Gary. Too bad about the circumstances.
I donated to Exiled … do you see any of that? Maybe you should setup your own Paypal and help us find it.
Go Ghadaffi Go !
31. Jim Buck | August 18th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Yawn! Get a job!
32. internal exile | August 19th, 2011 at 12:10 am
Is Libya the Balkans of North Africa? Even the War Nerd can’t jazz up this droning grind of a war.
33. Tyler | August 19th, 2011 at 2:38 am
It’s time for me to stop wetting my bed and bow before the almighty eXiled gods
34. A-Lex | August 19th, 2011 at 3:03 am
Oh hell, screw Muammar, and the Benghazi rebels, and the entire Arab world for all I care. The war in Libya has turned into a soap opera, so nobody really gives a damn anymore.
Get to what’s truly important, Gary: Are you Dolan or not?
35. Tim | August 19th, 2011 at 6:04 am
Useful interactive map of Libya (overview, tribes, oil fields, roads, population, military) @ http://www.spiegel.de/flash/flash-25431.html ???
It’s from the article “Are German Soldiers Secretly Helping Fight Gadhafi?” @ http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,781197,00.html
36. Mr Anonymous | August 19th, 2011 at 6:51 am
Dear Gary, good luck with the job search. I’m a fan of your columns, but there is one inaccuracy — Zawiya is not, strictly speaking, Berber. The next city to the west, Zuwara, is, though.
With respect to the advances, the rebels in Benghazi and Misrata were easier to pin down. Gadaffi put his two best bridages between them and Tripoli, and that put a quick end to their advance. In the Berber Western Mountains, the situation was different. The population was spread out between a number of different towns, so there wasn’t one location he could throw his army to plug the leaky rebels trying to get out. The situation was like a Libyan whack-a-mole. Gadaffi would suppress one town, only to have rebels from a neighbouring town come in and liberate it the next day. Taking advantage of a spread-out Libyan army and NATO bombing, the rebels town by town freed the entire range. Once the mountains were safe, refugees who had fled from Tripoli, Zawiya and other coastal towns came into the mountains, got armed, and are now currently fighting their way north. I have the impression that the entire healthy fighting age population of Zintan and Nalut are actually in the war (kill or be killed), but that’s still only a couple thousand men. The western campaign probably has over 10,000 troops now — 6,000 are reported to be in Zawiya alone, plus there are fronts and clean up crews at Aziziya, Ajaylat, Gharyan, Surbratha and Surman.
One aspect of the war which makes things go slowly is that a lot of the freedom fights are interested in making their hometowns safe, but freeing other cities? Not so much. One of the reasons that the Misratan front hasn’t moved from Zliten is that until yesterday, most of the fighters are actually refugees from Zliten who picked up guns in Misrata while the Misratans themselves stayed away. You’ll notice since yesterday there has been an advance on the Zliten front. It’s because the Misratans are finally helping the fights in Zliten in greater numbers.
Another note on tribes: there is a word missing, and the missing word is “Bedouin”. If the expression “bedouin tribe” makes you think of a camel-fucking dessert dweller, you’re right, because that’s what they are. Tribes matter a lot in smaller towns, and in cities in the butt-fuck centre of the dessert (Sabhra, I’m lookin’ at you, kid) but in the more urbanized centres, people marry people from other tribes (and not just camels from the same tribe), and the effect of tribes matter less. You can look at the fact that the western mountain Berbers and Benghazian rebelled and proclaim, “tribal warfare”, but look at where the military uprisings were: Benghazi (2nd largest city), Misrata (3rd largest city), Zawiya (4th largest city). There was no “in your face” uprising in Tripoli because of the security apparatus, but that security apparatus has been fighting a guerilla war in Tripoli’s poor eastern neighbourhoods for months. Urbanization is tilling away at the effect of the tribes.
Listen, even the people who are swayed by tribal alligences have one little problem: while Gadaffi played tribe against tribe, the global economic recession hasn’t been so tactful. Everyone is feeling the pressure, and Gadaffi is getting blamed. Getting blamed with pickup-mounted M40 anti-tank rifles, no less.
37. Mac | August 19th, 2011 at 10:38 am
Lots of despots are pretty useless when it comes to fighting wars in foreign lands but pretty damn excellent when it comes to striking down insurrections in their own country.
Look at Saddam, for instance. He messed up big time in attacking Iran. Even worse when he got suckered into attacking Kuwait. But before the 2003 invasion by the US&friends he was pretty damn excellent in keeping both the Kurds (20% of population) and the Shia (60%) down, as well as any fellow Sunni who might think about getting uppity.
Muammar has simply used the same old formula Saddam and other despots found so successful. You buy a minority with money and perks and have them depend on you, so that they are afraid for their future should you fall. They’re invested in you, so to speak. Then you give just enough to the rest to make them dependent on your good graces. As for any fucker who oppose you you take him to the dungeons and punish his family/tribe/town with cutting off state handouts propelling them into poverty and starvation as a warning to other prospective critics.
Right now those who follow Muammar probably does so because they fear him should he prevail and they fear the reckoning of their past should the rebs win. So, their best bet is to stick with ‘ol Muammar until it’s beyond reason that he might see this through – and it isn’t yet that.
38. aleke | August 19th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
@24. Oh ahahah Michal, don’t lets be silly me matey, I didnt say shit about it being neither socialist nor paradise, but that’s quite a collection of propaganda you’ve picked up, I am very impressed with you!
Well, I was saving these for a much longer, more comprehensive post, but ya know what? I’ll come early for you, Michal baby! Anything to keep my lil idealistic socialist happy! Here goes:
Some background on Libyan situation
Law requiring foreign corporations to bear responsibility towards the Libyan people
http://ceinquiry.us/2011-03-19-libya-serbia-neoliberalism
Libya’s stable economy built on an independent central bank with very large gold reserves
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MD14Ak02.html
Collective punishment on Libyan people by ‘Humanitarians’
http://ceinquiry.us/2011-07-27-collective-punishment-libya
A little background on the rebels
http://ceinquiry.us/2011-03-29-libya-issawi-privatization
The success of the propaganda war effort:
Unverified war crimes like from the Nicaraguan days!
http://ceinquiry.us/2011-06-25-libya-2011-nicaragua-1984
Russian claims about supposed airstrikes on civilian protestors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi8F4PWJlf8
James Petras’ analysis of the Libyan rebellion and NATO imperial support
http://petras.lahaine.org/?p=1848
James Petras’ analysis of the lies and misconceptions of the propaganda war
http://petras.lahaine.org/?p=1847
Will ya read it? Who knows! Are you a rightwing sockpuppet? Who cares! Will this stuff even register in your head! I don’t care, certainly. But this one’s for Ole Gary Steady Eye. Hope ya get to take a look Gary, unemployment is a good time to read… and read… and read…
39. rjb | August 19th, 2011 at 6:37 pm
In defence of the BBC, the “Silly Cow” story featured in its regional news section for Glasgow and West Scotland, as might be inferred from the large heading at the top of the page reading “GLASGOW AND WEST SCOTLAND”. It is part of the BBC’s local rather than international news coverage. And I’m sure a cow with its head in a ladder constituited a pretty exciting spectacle by the standards of South Ayrshire.
40. Petkov | August 19th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Great article. I can add one more small item that my mother taught me:
when Gadaffi was younger he was a good looking guy; she always said how great he looked in uniform. Sure he was just a stuffed shirt but hey, that’s what Reagan had going for him too: he looked Presidential.
41. dominic | August 20th, 2011 at 2:19 am
Finally. Yer back. Basterd. I too keep thinking “who the hell is fighting for Qaddaffi?” what a shitty bunch of “journalists” we got on the scene. Havent the rebels caught and tourtered anyone? Too bad the dude who made restrepo got whacked…
42. Alen | August 20th, 2011 at 5:56 am
@Mac
Saddam was Iraqi nationalist. Sure he was an idiot, but he was NOT a xenophobe protecting only the Sunni population. Shia and Kurds being endangered species is plain western propaganda. Otherwise Iran would take Basra in one blow, and Shias would overthrow him with the help of US air force, instructors and mercenaries (they call them “instructors”).
43. Alex | August 20th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
“And that brings us to the big mystery in Libya: Why is Qaddafi still walking around with his head attached to his shoulders?”
It’s a “mistery” only to some unemployed losers from U.S., successfull people all know all too well that it’s because muammar is supported by his nation and because NATO sucks hairy donkey balls in military sense – only good in bombing civillians from a safe distance, and nothing else. But you won’t probably understand that – understanding that involves some baggage, you know, and they simply don’t deliver that baggage to the tent shelter folks.
44. Michal | August 20th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
@38.
It is very difficult to argue when you present no comprehensive argument, rather instead copy-paste a bunch of opinions of others. How on earth am I supposed to dissect all that when you just lazily pile up all that sleaze say “HA HA, I WIN!” ?
I will however respond to at least one common allegation, which you’ve hinted at in your post, in that Russia Today is an island of truth in a hostile information sea dominated by evil NATO. Do you know what Russia Today aired before the Russian general staff came out saying there were no air-strikes? Just the same stuff as everyone else: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyF2QLqz3-s
What I also found amusing is that one of the articles talks about “Country with longest average life span in Africa.” Another favourite statistic of Gaddafi’s apologists. Too bad there’s so many other statistics that paint quite a different picture. You’ve wished Gary good reading while he’s unemployed. Did you know though that Libya has 30% unemployment rate? Why is it that state owned companies hire various third world people like Somalis instead of Libyans? By golly how can this be happening in a country wisely managed by the genius Colonel Gaddafi, one free of corrupting western influence that is now trying to destroy this paradise of the free?
45. Michal | August 20th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
PS: That RT video is just classic. I hope you’ll watch it. Especially you, Gary.
Basically RT is arguing in there that USA wants to preserve status quo, which was back in the days before the coalition undertook armed intervention in Libya. Can you guess why it says US won’t intervene in Libya? Yep, because that would be profitable.
46. Joe | August 20th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Good to have you back, Gary!
Anyway – I think the war in Libya is a way to scupper the planned pan-African gold backed currency that Gaddafi had planned:
http://www.goldstockbull.com/articles/libya-invasion-gaddafi-plan-gold-dinar/
Joe
47. darthfader | August 20th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Motherfucking uranium on the Libya-Chad border. Aouzou Strip. Chad? Run by Idriss Déby, graduate of Qaddafi’s “training center” for strongmen.
Nuclear power is the primary source of electric power in France. In 2004, 425.8 TWh out of the country’s total production of 540.6 TWh of electricity was from nuclear power (78.8%), the highest percentage in the world.
Look up the history of French uranium deals. You’ll get a window into this.
48. Sick and Wrong | August 21st, 2011 at 6:10 am
Gary, don’t bother reading western media, it’s lies upon lies. I read a lot of Arabic news translated into Russian, it’s the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what’s written in Western media.
1- the majority of the country support Qaddafi
2- ALL tribes support Qaddafi
None of the important information is available in English, unfortunately. I found out that a nurse’s salary is 800 bucks/month.
It’s a lot for Africa, everyone is very happy with the socialism they’ve got in Libya, nobody wants Qaddafi gone, especially since he doesn’t even hold a single official position in the government.
49. Bob | August 21st, 2011 at 1:03 pm
There’s been some great innovation from the rebels in their technicals, it’s questionable how effective they are but they *look* awesome at least. Behold, Toyota + (apparently still motorised) BMP turret = TANK TRUCK:
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2874/libyatanktrucks.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlfl31SJYiA
Toyota + UB-32 launcher = ROCKET TRUCK:
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7528/libyaub32rocketpodtruck.jpg
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/4934/libyaub32rockettruck2.jpg
50. super390 | August 21st, 2011 at 1:55 pm
According to the Newspaper of Record, the tacticals are finally having their day in Tripoli:
“Rebel troops approaching from the west raced through Colonel Qaddafi’s “ring of steel” defense that had been positioned outside Tripoli on the road to Zawiyah, a strategic oil city now in rebel hands. Rebels driving pickup trucks mounted with machine guns met little resistance as they reached Janzour and Gargarish, Tripoli neighborhoods where Qaddafi forces appeared to melt away, rebel leaders and residents said.”
It’s finally come full circle from Chad.
51. anon | August 21st, 2011 at 2:27 pm
You got shit canned just in time Brecher. Gaddaffi is going down like Monica Lewinsky today.
52. Bob | August 21st, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Rebel amphibious assault! No actual action shown, sadly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIlUPOLkRrU
I’m surprised by how rapidly and completely his support has folded, this may be the most embarrassingly ineffectual attempt to put down a revolt since Ceausescu.
53. Jose | August 21st, 2011 at 4:36 pm
So Mr Brecher is right again. Well done.
Also lol @ Alex (43).
54. José Cruz | August 21st, 2011 at 8:50 pm
If you have any sense left in you, back-pack to a nicer, cheaper, warmer country; and never go back home. That´s a fucking nightmare what your going through. Everybody is fucked up there, I mean, I met this punk turist age 23 or something, and the piece of shit was already indebted 15 thousand dollars and knew he was going to inherit even more debt from his parents. What is keeping you people from revolting is beyond me. Wusses. But you can always defect.
55. José Cruz | August 21st, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Promise good reiki for you when I read a matter of factly note on Trípoli.
56. Esn | August 21st, 2011 at 10:19 pm
Looks like the latest events have Chavez scared; he’s decided to physically take back all of Venezuela’s gold reserves from the Western countries where they’re stored.
http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article29980.html
I wonder if this will be a trend.
57. Max | August 21st, 2011 at 10:21 pm
I guess all that Russian weaponry didn’t amount to dick. Night night Muammar.
NATO and the rebels had a plan. We just weren’t privy to the details.
Lightening attack with properly prepared forces. Game over.
58. CB | August 22nd, 2011 at 12:11 am
Hi, I have a job and yet the only place I can get published is in the comments section here. And even then I’m such a fucking sad retard that my comments aren’t even good enough to get posted as-is, so I have to rely on the Exiled Censor to improve whatever soggy-brained garbage pours out of this little stegasaur mind of mine. That said, War Nerd you are the fucking best in the world. I tried to pretend that I’m not jealous of the fact that tens of thousands of us read you all the time, but I failed. I am sorry; please forgive me.
Your fanboy
Fagbag Burke
59. CB | August 22nd, 2011 at 7:10 am
I’m sorry, I don’t care if you think I’m jealous of the WN for some reason.
#43 Alex must be made fun of for saying Qaddafi is still around because the people of Libya support him, two days before the people drop him like a bad habit.
Especially since this “insight” was attributed to Alex’s “success”. BWA HA HA!
60. Phoenix Woman | August 22nd, 2011 at 7:25 am
By the way, can we put a fork in the whole “the rebels want the oil” bullshit? Please?
This doesn’t pass the laugh test to anyone with a functioning brain stem. As Juna Cole says (http://www.juancole.com/2011/08/top-ten-myths-about-the-libya-war.html#comments):
Libya was already integrated into the international oil markets, and had done billions of deals with BP, ENI, etc., etc. None of those companies would have wanted to endanger their contracts by getting rid of the ruler who had signed them. They had often already had the trauma of having to compete for post-war Iraqi contracts, a process in which many did less well than they would have liked. ENI’s profits were hurt by the Libyan revolution, as were those of Total SA. and Repsol. Moreover, taking Libyan oil off the market through a NATO military intervention could have been foreseen to put up oil prices, which no Western elected leader would have wanted to see, especially Barack Obama, with the danger that a spike in energy prices could prolong the economic doldrums. An economic argument for imperialism is fine if it makes sense, but this one does not, and there is no good evidence for it (that Qaddafi was erratic is not enough), and is therefore just a conspiracy theory.
61. CB | August 22nd, 2011 at 7:50 am
@ 48 Sick and Wrong:
What do you think about your superior and unbiased Russian translators now? Maybe some things said in English aren’t lies? Maybe it should have been a hint as to the quality of these sources when they claimed that ALL tribes supported Qaddafi, which was obviously untrue even when the degree of support for Qaddafi was unclear.
Or even better, the part where it claimed the people of Libya didn’t care about Qaddafi because he holds no official positions. The implication being that either Libyans are too stupid to understand where the true power lies, or that you, the reader, would be. Clearly not the former, I guess that leaves the latter!
Okay you’re probably not dumb. Probably just conditioned to believe what you’re told when it’s what you want to hear even if it doesn’t make sense. That’s why I like al Jazeera (in English, oh no!) because they tell me things I don’t want to hear. What nobody wants to hear. When both sides of a conflict claim a news source is propaganda for the other side, they must be doing something right!
62. Sick and Wrong | August 22nd, 2011 at 8:43 am
Out-fucking-rageous.
All western media are filming their bullshit in Qatar, preparing to drop Special Ops in Tripoli and claim that rebels finally took Tripoli.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tghoRiZ3ek&feature=player_embedded
63. Sick and Wrong | August 22nd, 2011 at 8:55 am
I can’t believe they’re pulling this shit, but considering how they’ve manage to fool everyone up until now, it wouldn’t surprise me:
http://libyasos.blogspot.com/2011/08/al-jazeera-and-nato-planning-major-scam.html
64. CB | August 22nd, 2011 at 9:15 am
Oh I see. I should have anticipated this, given the many similarities between modern Russia and the American Neocons (you’d be best buddies if you weren’t so dedicated to continuing the Cold War — actually from that standpoint you really are best buds).
Anyway, the strategy is classic: When reality shows up to bitch-slap your stupid face, don’t accept it and admit you were wrong, DOUBLE DOWN and declare reality to be the fraud! The solution to failed propaganda is MOR PROPAGANDA.
65. Alex | August 22nd, 2011 at 10:30 am
“Out-fucking-rageous.
All western media are filming their bullshit in Qatar, preparing to drop Special Ops in Tripoli and claim that rebels finally took Tripoli.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tghoRiZ3ek&feature=player_embedded”
what a bunch of desperate losers. Orwell must be slapping his knees from laughter in his grave.
66. aleke | August 22nd, 2011 at 10:47 am
Lmao @ all the people saying a bunch of teenagers supported by NATO material and CIA-paid command are the “Libyan people dropping Muammar like a bad habit”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPMdArruZjA
If there’s anything dropping anybody, it’s your tax and labor dollars dropping bombs on another independent Third World country and plunging its people into utter misery.
Its wonderful to see all this cognitive dissonance dropping from the American psyche as their empire teeters over the edge. 30% unemployment indeed. projecting much? propaganda is always a psychologically-intimate sphere of the perpetrator, isn’t it, Michal? How’s that for an opinion, ya sock puppet?
67. Alex | August 22nd, 2011 at 11:57 am
English translation:
“…To cover it up and in the same time spread chaos and panic among Libyans, a set of Tripoli’s Green Square, Bab al-Azizya and several streets was constructed in Doha, Qatar, and videos of successful uprising in Tripoli and its takeover by the rebels were being made. ”
http://cyaegha-c.livejournal.com/460657.html#cutid1
68. Alex | August 22nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm
The photos of fake “Tripoli” with fake “rebels” vs. real Tripoly:
http://xaliavschik.livejournal.com/412090.html
69. AG93 | August 22nd, 2011 at 12:33 pm
@62
“Out-fucking-rageous.
All western media are filming their bullshit in Qatar, preparing to drop Special Ops in Tripoli and claim that rebels finally took Tripoli.”
Damn right. It’s outrageous how people also still believe that moonlandings actually took place and 9/11 wasn’t a Pentagon-Zionist conspiracy in which plane-shaped cruise missiles were used. Fucking sheeple believe anything they’re told. It’s the same scam as in Iraq, where the Crusader-Reptilian alliance killed millions and replaced them with highly paid actors rather than face up to the fact that Baghdad Bob was telling the truth.
70. Tim | August 22nd, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Still to be answered are seven questions raised here by DEBKAfile’s analysts:
1. Where are the six government special divisions whose loyalty to the Libyan ruler and his sons was never in question? None of the 15,000 trained government troops were to be seen in the way of the rebel advance into the capital. The mystery might be accounted for by several scenarios: Either these units broke up and scattered or Qaddafi pulled them back into southern Libya to secure the main oil fields. Or, perhaps, government units are staying out of sight and biding their time in order to turn the tables on the triumphant rebels and trap them in a siege. The Libyan army has used this stratagem before.
2. How did the ragtag, squabbling Libyan rebels who were unable to build a coherent army in six months suddenly turn up in Tripoli Sunday looking like an organized military force and using weapons for which they were not known to have received proper training? Did they secretly harbor a non-Libyan hard core of professional soldiers?
3. What happened to the tribes loyal to Qaddafi? Up until last week, they numbered the three largest tribal grouping in the country. Did they suddenly melt away without warning?
4. Does Qaddafi’s fall in Tripoli mean he has lost control of all other parts of Libya, including his strongholds in the center and south?
5. Can the rebels and NATO claim an undisputed victory? Or might not the Libyan ruler, forewarned of NATO’s plan to topple him by Sept. 1, have decided to dodge a crushing blow, cede Tripoli and retire to the Libyan Desert from which to wage war on the new rulers?
6. Can the heavily divided rebels, consisting of at least three militias, put their differences aside and establish a reasonable administration for governing a city of many millions? Their performance in running the rebel stronghold of Benghazi is not reassuring.
7. DEBKAfile’s military and counter-terror sources suggest a hidden meaning in Qaddafi’s comment that Tripoli is now like Baghdad. Is he preparing to collect his family, escape Tripoli and launch a long and bloody guerrilla war like the one Saddam Hussein’s followers waged after the US invasion of 2003 which opened the door of Iraq to al Qaeda?
71. Sick and Wrong | August 22nd, 2011 at 2:03 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnDUS-MR2g8
This is beautiful. Pants completely on fire.
72. super390 | August 22nd, 2011 at 5:01 pm
The problem with arguing that this is all a massive NATO conspiracy is to analyze what you claim is really happening, i.e., that Gadafy still has massive support from the civilian population and military, and that the “rebels” are really an unstoppable legion of superpowered CIA mercenaries and there are no real Libyan rebels at all.
Okay, so based on everything us War Nerd fans know about war, shouldn’t the battle for Tripoli be going on full-bore? I mean, to compare the bombing operation in this war to the one in 2003 is pathetic. Gadafy had years to build his defenses, even 6 months after the first uprising. And he knows that Saddam Hussein’s strategy of fleeing to the desert did no favors for his heirs or his clansmen, even if it hurt America.
If things were as you say, he would have made a stand in the city, and it would now be burning like Berlin in ’45.
In fact, the logical reason why the rebels attacked the way they did is because they know they’re amateurs, they have limited firepower and logistics, NATO bombing is clumsy, and a siege would have cost thousands more lives. So they went in fast with tacticals and linked up with the genuine resistance in the city, gambling they could prevail before their lack of resupply caught up with them. Enthusiasm over the dead hand of bureaucratic NATO doctrine. If there hadn’t been genuine anti-Gadafy rebels inside the city the tacticals would have quickly been destroyed.
73. Sick and Wrong | August 22nd, 2011 at 11:34 pm
But aren’t you listening? They are NOT in the city. They’ve got no support there.
74. Sick and Wrong | August 22nd, 2011 at 11:44 pm
Another bullshit debunked – that the rebels got one of Qaddafi’s sons. Like always, the statement got confirmed by everyone and everything, like the International Criminal Court…
http://rt.com/news/gaddafi-sons-rebels-detain-557/
They lie about everything and if something doesn’t get debunked, it’s a win for them. They probably thought this guy was dead, so nobody would be able to debunk this one. Well he wasn’t. Doesn’t matter, they lose nothing by trying.
Exactly the same tactic as with Bin Laden, except he’s been dead for years and intelligence knew this.
75. Alen | August 23rd, 2011 at 4:45 am
He DID make a stand – but in the whole of Libya! Where is the Libyan army? How about Brega, Zlitan, Sabha and Ben Walid? Why does it not help drive back the NATO pincer move through Zawya and port of Tripoli? Well – count those airplanes, gunships and predators, add some ships and look at the terain configuration! Libya is a small country with a small army. If there wasn’t any support of the people, it would crumble in 3 weeks – LIKE the stupid NATO exptected.
76. Max | August 23rd, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Hilarious the pro-Qaddafi posts. Like watching the Black Knight in Monty Python saying “I’m not dead yet”!
77. José Cruz | August 28th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Why don´t you fine people look up the addendum in youtube, understand why arabs, among other peoples in the world without oil and press attention, are revolting in more places you´ve been told.
78. José Cruz | August 28th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Why don´t you fine people look up the addendum in youtube, understand why arabs, among other peoples in the world, only without oil and press attention, are revolting in more places you´ve been told.
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