June 10, 2013

"BENGHAZI, Libya — At least a dozen people were killed here Saturday and dozens wounded after members of a powerful militia fired on protesters surrounding the group’s headquarters..."

"... in an outpouring of public anger at the armed bands that have been blamed for fueling political violence and undermining a fledgling state."

It was not the first time that Benghazi’s residents have lashed out against the militias: in September, after the killing of the United States ambassador, J. Christopher Stevens, citizens stormed the headquarters of several militias, including one suspected in the killing. But the spontaneity of the protest on Saturday, and the violence that followed, marked a dangerous escalation of one of Libya’s central struggles, the fight between armed Islamists and other militiamen who rose to power during the revolution, and Libyans demanding that authority rest with the state.

The lack of security has been acute in Benghazi, where mysterious assassinations have been a hallmark of Libya’s transition since the overthrow of its longtime ruler, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. Police stations and other symbols of the government have repeatedly been attacked, at least partly in reaction to the government’s attempts to rein in the armed groups....

31 comments:

SteveR said...

Well it still is Spring

Strelnikov said...

At least they're finally willing to report from Benghazi.

Michael K said...

Tell me why we overthrew Gaddafi again ?

I'm Full of Soup said...

What movie were they protesting?

edutcher said...

Nice to see the Gray Lady is on top the the situation over there. The way it's been the last 8 months.

Keep in mind, the same people who are the object of these riots are the same ones we were helping this time last year and the same ones we're about to arm in Syria.

And their initials are AQ.

And, again, this one is not going away.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Youtube video to blame?

Drago said...

Are they big San Antonio Spurs fans?

test said...

By nightfall, the protesters had evicted the militia and set parts of the compound on fire.

How did events evolve to this result? Typical NYT: all the hype, none of the follow through.

Illuninati said...

George Bush went into Iraq with the erroneous opinion that the citizens of Iraq were ready to implement democracy and freedom once Saddam was out of the way. His was a reasonable conjecture which proved wrong.

Even with the terrible results in Iraq to study, Obama doubled down on Bush's mistaken project. Perhaps someday this bet will work out but things will get ugly before they improve. After mass starvation in Eqypt and thousands of civilian murders, and total societal collapse, perhaps the Muslims will realize that a brigand culture which worked in the desert 1000 years ago when Muslims were a small fraction of the World's population and when people fought from camels doesn't work now with automatic rifles, tanks, bombs and poisonous gas. Parasites must not kill their host, but Muslims are in danger of doing just that. Like an alcoholic the Muslims are drunk on Islamism and will not learn their folly until they hit bottom. First Bush and now Obama are helping the Muslims in their rapid descent into the abyss.

cubanbob said...

Illuninati said...

Wait until the Ethiopians cut the flow of the Nile to Egypt. Things are going to get really ugly soon.

Anonymous said...

Yet McCain thinks Syrian rebels are more trustworthy.

Anonymous said...

Blogger Inga said...

Yet McCain thinks Syrian rebels are more trustworthy.
_________________________________

Obama doesn't think a large segment of the American public is trustworthy.

edutcher said...

Inga said...

Yet McCain thinks Syrian rebels are more trustworthy.

So does Choom.

Drago said...

Inga: "Yet McCain thinks Syrian rebels are more trustworthy."

Shorter Inga: squirrel!

Hey, lets focus on what a senator from the minority party is doing instead of focusing on what actual policies the actual parties with actual power are doing in the Middle East.

Known Unknown said...

Inga:

Funny you would say that given this forum is usually rife with rabid McCain supporters.

Or do you not read?

Colonel Angus said...

Yet McCain thinks Syrian rebels are more trustworthy.

Last time I checked, Senators don't make foreign policy.


William said...

Whoever gains control of Libya will the most ruthless killer, or he will not gain control of Libya. Why is it that our drone strikes cause more enemies to enlist than they actually kill? Why does not a similar dynamic hold true for Assad and these militias? ........Military strategists have long held that killing one's enemies is an effective tactic in war, Why doesn't it work for us?

Colonel Angus said...

Military strategists have long held that killing one's enemies is an effective tactic in war, Why doesn't it work for us?

It does. The idea that killing terrorists just creates more is ludicrous.

gerry said...

Military strategists have long held that killing one's enemies is an effective tactic in war, Why doesn't it work for us?

You have to understand who Obama believes his eneimies are. He's only begun to kill U.S. citizens, and we have to be patient to see how that works out for him.

Colonel Angus said...

You have to understand who Obama believeshiseneimiesare. He's only begun to kill U.S. citizens, and we have to be patient to see how that works out for him.

To be fair, if they are American citizens colluding with Islamic terrorists in foreign lands, I have little concern if they are droned. It's a bit difficult to arrest some jihadist hiding out in Yemen as opposed to say, Colorado Springs.

Methadras said...

Michael K said...

Tell me why we overthrew Gaddafi again ?


Political expediency and to make a weak Marxist look like a tough guy.

Methadras said...

Inga said...

Yet McCain thinks Syrian rebels are more trustworthy.


In comparison to leftists like you, then I'd say he might be correct.

Methadras said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Achilles said...

Inga said...
Yet McCain thinks Syrian rebels are more trustworthy.

6/10/13, 10:59 AM

Still feel the need to justify the sale of your support for a fascist? Hilary sold weapons to Al Quaeda and they used them to kill Americans and raze a consulate. Don't worry though she will keep giving you free stuff. Make sure you keep doing the masters bidding. You wouldn't want to be treated like those horrible tea party types. After all people who don't think we should give Inga free stuff deserve the attentions of the Feds.

Let me know when you are willing to face up to what greedy people like you are doing to this country. Despicable.

Illuninati said...

cubanbob said...
"Illuninati said...

Wait until the Ethiopians cut the flow of the Nile to Egypt. Things are going to get really ugly soon."

I said no such thing.

Islamic society does not need outside intervention to implode. Egypt is on the verge of famine right now because of their destructive behavior. The Nile is very productive, but the population of Egypt far exceeds the production from their agriculture land. Without a robust tourist trade or desirable exports to build up their foreign reserves, Egypt is totally dependent on foreign handouts to feed their people. These handouts are by no means assured.

Oso Negro said...

Why did we overthrow Qaddafi? What difference, at this point, does it make?

Drago said...

Michael K said: "Tell me why we overthrew Gaddafi again ?"

The Europeans needed help in protecting their precious oil contracts and Gadhafi wasn't willing to continue playing with them.

http://www.ogj.com/articles/2011/03/libya-threatens-future.html

snip: “If Gadhafi wins, Libya will look to the east for support,” said Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Institution’s Doha Center in Qatar, in a telephone interview with the Financial Times. “Western companies won’t get back in any time soon and won’t be able to invest.”

Leland said...

I'm sure Susan Rice is combing youtube for an explanation to tell Congress in her new role as NSA.

On a related note, all that information captured by the NSA; it's protected from being used illegally.

Oh, this just in from that paragon of free speech nation, the UK (Home of the Guardian!): A few people arrested for comments made on Twitter that were sharply critical of that religion that shall not be named and the recent murder of a British soldier in broad daylight.

Finally, this just in, the notion that the "Western world" was the "Free world" is dead. Gone.

gerry said...

To be fair, if they are American citizens colluding with Islamic terrorists in foreign lands, I have little concern if they are droned.

I do not disagree, Colonel Angus. My hyperbole targets Obama's demonization of political activists that dissent from his domestic agenda, in which operatives motivated by politics harassed citizens and implicitly became threatening opponents as a result, while being supported
by a sycophantic press, partisan committee members, and assorted useful idiots.

Achilles said...

Colonel Angus said...
You have to understand who Obama believeshiseneimiesare. He's only begun to kill U.S. citizens, and we have to be patient to see how that works out for him.

To be fair, if they are American citizens colluding with Islamic terrorists in foreign lands, I have little concern if they are droned. It's a bit difficult to arrest some jihadist hiding out in Yemen as opposed to say, Colorado Springs.

6/10/13, 12:39 PM

We had two governments tell us the Boston bombers were terrorists. Obama has given how many billions to the Muslim brotherhood? At least that is on the budget because the weapons they sold to Ansar al Sharia in Libya to supplant Ghadafi still haven't been disclosed. Now we can drone kill them right? Fort hood was "work place violence."

We know who Obamas real enemies are. It is not Muslim extremists. Just the ones that don't play ball and the tea party.

Achilles said...

And don't forget Obama already told us the war on terror is over. But we still need PRISM to stop the real threats to his power which are all domestic.