Lebanese embassy in Tripoli attacked
Lebanon’s coordinated effort with Britain, France and the United States at getting the UN Security Council resolution through has met with reprisals in Tripoli, where the Lebanese embassy has been attacked and the Lebanese flag set on fire and replaced with the ‘Gaddafi green’ flag. Lebanon has said that it considers the attack on its embassy to be a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and that it is “not pursuant to the covenants and agreements among the member states of the League of Arab States and the Organization of the United Nations”.
Lebanon has filed an urgent complaint to the United Nations about the incident, underlining the flagrant violation of international laws and the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.
Meanwhile, the Libyan embassy in Malta has been girded with rolls of razor wire.
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It’s closer than Benghazi.
I still can’t see a fight to the last man scenario. At some point the inner core will take their winnings, pack their bags and hop it.
They’re locked up, under the supervision of the army.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170469.html
Thanks for the update. So that’s where Gonzi got his phone call from on Friday.
And this is how Al-Baghdadi does business…
http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/06/08TRIPOLI480.html
“…Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi’s office has become directly involved in the matter, and has directed that the franchise either be sold to unspecified government officials, or suffer an immediate freeze on further import of stock and be closed permanently by year’s end.
(…)
According to a well-placed embassy XXXXXXXXXXXX contact, there is a genuine threat that state security officials may visit personal harm on XXXXXXXXXXXX (and others like him) at the direction of “old guard” regime figures. XXXXXXXXXXXX Telling our contact XXXXXXXXXXXX that “in the old days we would just arrest him”, they offered that they would instead “clip him down to nothing” by dismantling his business empire piecemeal and undertaking a campaign to diminish his business influence. They then noted darkly that if those methods proved insufficient, they would see to it that XXXXXXXXXXXX was involved in a fatal car accident.
Nice to know, especially after Gonzi’s last press conference, where he stated that he took a call from al-Baghdadi. I’m almost embarassed to say that I am Maltese.
Gonzi was just interviewed on Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/frostovertheworld/2011/03/201131914358441897.html
Looking at the video again, just saw the photo over the right shoulder of Gonzi. Was that Kate looking lovingly at Berlusconi?
When he was asked what he thought about the resolution and the military intervention it authorised, I was afraid to listen to the answer and was very much relieved when at least he did not condemn it.
He actually said he was in favour of it even if he didn’t sound very convinced or convincing.
Not a good performance at all, but seeing his performance these past two weeks I was expecting worse.
What exactly did he say? He waffled along as if he was at a Sunday morning meeting of the faithful, a lot of words with no meaning or substance.
At least David Frost was kind enough and did not start off on neutrality.
Also the PM did not snigger nervously as Tonio Borg did on Sky News; at least his interview was audio only or we would have seen him sweating and squirming.
One last thing, boats sink but humans drown.
And there was no “I wouldn’t say so.” Sigh.
@Harry Purdie
That is a photograph of Lawrence Gonzi and Kate Gonzi.
From Sky News –
“The French are the first in the front line – they have air bases from which they could just about make it to Libya and back – with the British behind them.”.
And Malta waves the ‘No Parking’ sign.
If this is who we are, I, for one, insist that this text should be removed from Para 3bi of the Constitution –
“or in pursuance of measures or actions decided by the Security Council of the United Nations”.
At least for once, let’s be honest with ourselves.
This comment appeared on maltastar.com yesterday :
“ExPatriatus – 19 March 2011 21:30
From the outside looking in, there seems to be something very fishy about the closeness between Maltese government and businesses to the Libyan regime.
It is a shame that at a time when even the French (usually seen as cowardly and inept)are being pro-active in dealing with Gaddafi, Malta is coming accross as unwilling to help our neighbours.
The window of oprtunity that was opened in Egypt last month needs to be embraced, and the Maltese people need to be seen as being part of this. As an expat I feel ashamed at the stance the government is taking. I feel suspicious about their motive, and am disappointed there has not been a public outcry in the country for a stronger position in favour of the Libyan people, and against the regime.
Neutrality ought not be an excuse for inaction when help is requested by neighbours who are sufferring.”
Are they scuttling Gaddafi ?
When Gadaffi allowed his people to attack the Lebanese embassy he confirmed once again that he will not respect basic convention, let alone decency.
On the other hand, I am amazed by the superb reaction of France, USA and UK, that are in the process of neutralising Gadaffi’s ability to strike back.
With such miliitary might poised against Gadaffi, we should start thinking about a post-Gadaffi era. What will Malta’s position be in that case? Neutral, but totally ignored by the west and the new Libyan government.
Our interests in this region will now be taken over by other countries that have shown courage. Our position relative to Libya has been weakened on two levels thanks to Dr Gonzi’s decisions :
1. by not supporting the allied attack we have written off our geographical strategic importance in the Mediterranean (an historically very valuable asset for us) and showed that Sicily or Crete can replace Malta’s strategic importance, and,
2. our bargaining position during future discussions on the maritime boundary dispute with the new Libyan government (backed by the West) has been weakened tremendously. Effectively, we have written off our offshore oil potential.
When the Libyan campaign is over and Gadaffi is lynched by the mob, all that our PM can show the world and the Maltese people will be a scrap of paper with the word ‘neutral’ written on it.
This comment on the BBC website reminds me of the sort of hero-worshipping, harkening-to-the-dark past, comments one often reads in The Times.
There is a strong streak of helplessness, a need to have a superman because one cannot do it on our own, a Salvatur. Truly, birds of a feather stick together, not just amongst leaders but also their followers:
“A Tripoli resident, Sami, explained to the BBC why he still supported Col Gaddafi. “We’ve been living in peace and harmony for 42 years. He changed the situation of Libyan people. We were living in tin huts, we didn’t have cars, we couldn’t go to school, no hospitals, no education – he brought that all to us. A Libyan can raise his head high and be proud of himself,” he said.”
It sounds like someone from a deprived area in Malta singing Mintoff’s praises, blissfully unaware of the harm he brought upon them, and unaware too of the deprivation – thanks to him – of bare essentials normally taken for granted in civilised parts of the world.
Razor wire is horrible stuff (MUCH worse than barbed wire) who gave them permission to use razor wire. Yes, it is a private property but the razor wire is overhanging onto a public pavement.
I tuned in to ONE radio this morning for the news commentary. I was sickened. It was all about reminding the poplu about just how kind and generous Gaddafi was to Malta and how much business the Maltese have in Libya and how much better peaceful mediation would be and thank God for the neutrality clause.
I am speechless.
I am reminded of a book by Hisham Mater, who spent his early years in Libya and now lives in the US: ‘In the Country of Men”.
It tells the story of a Libyan boy brought up the the late 70s and early 80s under the Gaddafi regime. It spans the years when Mintoff and Gaddafi were more than just blood brothers.
The descriptions of the daily life of an average Libyan family living under that regime and the brutality carried out publicly under the glare of the TV lens on dissidents and students are spine chilling.
A must-read. It helps one understand why the Libyans would rather die than live another day under that brutal regime.
That book is based on Hisham Matar’s own experience.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/world/exclusive-libya-s-rebel-leader-urges-malta-to-widen-support-and-cooperation
“The council is TAKING NOTE of all the positions taken by countries and is giving them GREAT importance in considering FUTURE relations,” Jibril said.”
Mr Prime minister please note.
J.Tonna (6 minutes ago) – Very wise words by Dr Muscat, this morning, about the present situation in Libya. Let’s hope all bloggers will heed his advice.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110320/local/libya-malta-should-continue-to-be-prudent-joseph-muscat
Daphne, you’ve been called to heed Joseph’s advice.
And the twerp opens his mouth: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110320/local/libya-malta-should-continue-to-be-prudent-joseph-muscat
Mohammed “Mo” Nabbous (27 February 1983 – 19 March 2011) محمد النبوس was a Libyan blogger and civilian journalist in Benghazi, Libya.
In the wake of the 17 February 2011 uprising in Libya, he founded Libya Alhurra TV, the first private television station established in territory controlled by the National Transitional Council.
He was killed on 19 March 2011 while reporting on attempts by government forces to seize control of Benghazi.
Nabbous was shot in the head by snipers soon after exposing the Gaddafi regime’s false reports related to the cease-fire declaration.He touched the hearts of many with his bravery and indomitable spirit. He will be dearly missed and leaves behind his young wife and unborn child”
Just to remind us that things could have been even worse if the other lot were running the show:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110320/local/libya-malta-should-continue-to-be-prudent-joseph-muscat
I left a hurriedly and angrily written comment but I can’t even remember what I wrote (just a few minutes ago and it’s not published yet). Probably won’t make much sense but who cares, not many comments there do.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110320/local/armed-men-detain-crew-of-italian-ship-in-tripoli
Sunday, 20th March 2011 – 13:50CET
Armed men detain crew of Italian ship in Tripoli
AFP
Armed men have detained the 11-strong crew of an Italian high-seas tugboat in the Libyan port of Tripoli, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
It said the crew of the ocean-going tug comprising eight Italians, two Indians and one Ukrainian were being held on board.
ANSA quoted sources saying the action occurred yesterday afternoon soon before French warplanes launched air strikes at the start of a Western military operation against Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi’s forces as the tugboat was discharging Libyan employees of the Libyan oil firm Noc.
Armed men, including one who claimed to be the harbour master, detained the crew and prevented the 75-metre vessel from leaving, ANSA said.
A crisis team of the Italian foreign ministry was monitoring the situation and was in touch with the tugboat’s owner, August Offshore company, which is based in the southern Italian port of Naples and specialises in assisting oil rigs as well as exploration and production activities.