Nice tactic, I don't think
Published:
March 17, 2011 at 5:01pm
The Libyan state news agency Jana has just announced that Gaddafi’s forces will stop fighting as from Sunday, giving rebels the chance to surrender and receive an amnesty.
There is no ultimatum reported yet.
“The provisional general committee (ministry) of defence has decided to halt military operations against the armed terrorist bands from midnight on Sunday (2200 GMT) … to give (them) a chance to lay down their arms and benefit from a general amnesty,” Jana said.
This is a blatantly transparent attempt to fend off international intervention as the UN begins to react to the urgency of the threatened bombardment of Benghazi.
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On timesofmalta.com earlier today:
“Libyan television earlier today also said that forces loyal to Gaddafi had wrested control of Misrata, one of the last rebel-held bastions, and were “purging” it of insurgents.
“The armed forces are in control of the city of Misrata. It is now being purged of the terrorist gangs,” Allibya television reported.”
The mind shrinks from thinking just how Misrata is being ‘purged’ of insurgents.
Ooooops, the colonel just laid an egg.
Gaddafi has logistical problems of fuel and other supplies, not to mention that his forces depend on paid foreigners. His Russian jet fighters are mainly serviced by foreigners mostly Serbs who were earning a living in Libya before the crisis started.
Fighters without a good cause go to war halfheartedly. Trouble starts looming when soldiers are tired, demotivated, not well fed and not paid.
History repeats itself.
William Hague, speaking in the House of Commons today:
“These extraordinary times call for an unprecedented response by the international community. We have not brought about these events, we and our allies cannot determine the future of Middle Eastern countries or dictate who leads them. But neither can we be bystanders. Our values and our interests require us to be actively involved.”
Gaddafi told Lebanon’s LBC television: “All the places where they (rebels) are fortified, are now being sterilised with the help of the people… who say where their locations are.”
Msieken.
The New York Times on the recruitment of mercenaries in Mali:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/africa/16mali.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=Libya%20Mali%20oil&st=cse
Perhaps Gaddafi anticipates that the battle for Benghazi may lead to the loss of many innocent lives: it is a city with a population of 1 million. I suspect he is doing this as an excuse so that later he can tell the rest of the world: I gave them a fair chance.