U.S. President Obama just stated that he expects the situation in Libya to continue to require NATO forces to help even after Gaddafi is gone.
Obama said they expect fighting throughout Libya to continue after Gaddafi is gone, and U.S. military officials will work with NATO to support the new government of Libya.
“They are specifically targeting the areas where international journalists are, to sow panic here. NATO has done all the heavy work. This is a NATO war. They heavily bombed cities west of [Tripoli], they’ve bombed all night, without even 10 seconds of stopping. They have bombed this entire city and NATO landed the insurgents on the coast of Tripoli.”-Mahdi Nazemroaya, independent journalist
The reporter was giving a live report for the Russian media, he said he and all the journalists staying at the Nixos hotel were being shot at by NATO and rebel forces. Gunshots could be heard in his live report from the hotel.
Pro-Gaddafi hotel staff grabbed guns and fought off the rebels: “More members of the hotel staff have returned with guns. Obviously they have been fighting. These are volunteers, not soldiers. They returned with a picture which is not a picture of loss and they are confident.”
Nazemroaya says he and other journalists were told by U.S. and other Pro-western news organizations, like CNN and al Jazeara, not to mention al-Qaeda, or they would be killed. He says many of the “western” journalists are not true journalists, but ‘security guards’ working to intimidate independent journalists.
“I have a feeling that the government is luring the rebels in, allowing them to have fun on Green Square and then very well counter-attacking them.”-Franklin Lamb, director of Americans for Middle East Peace
Russian media says early morning, August 22, Libyan governments tanks began rolling out of hiding places, targeting surprised rebels.
Many of the tanks targeted rebels who were attacking Gaddafi’s military compound. The tanks were joined by Libyan army guntrucks.
More tanks have been spotted at the port of Tripoli. Earlier rebels claimed the Libyan army surrendered. Now rebels say they control only 15%-20% of Tripoli.
Also, a convoy of at least 22 Libyan army vehicles entered Tripoli and took control of the center of the city. They are now erecting barricades.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr, has announced that Cairo recognizes the Libyan Transitional National Council (rebels) as a legitimate representative of Libya.
Not only does Egypt recognize the rebels as the government of Libya, but Egyptian officials have revealed that they have been supporting them from the beginning.
Proof of this is that as many as 38 Egyptians had been arrested by Gaddafi’s forces, after they were caught helping the rebels.
One Libyan rebel official confirmed that the Libyan rebellion is connected to the regime change in Egypt: “We thank Egypt that has helped make this revolution succeed, because the Mubarak regime’s downfall helped Gaddafi’s downfall, for they are allies.”-Abdul Mon’em al-Houni
The Libyan embassy in Japan has replaced the all green flag with the flag of the rebels. Japanese media say the embassy staff reported that the government of Libya had changed.
The flag of the rebels is also the old flag of the Kingdom of Libya, which lasted from 1951-969. The Kingdom of Libya fell because the king was so greedy that most of the oil wealth went to him (as well as European countries) while many Libyan’s suffered. Some accounts show that Libyan’s suffered more under the king, than under Gaddafi.
During the time of the Kingdom, the United Kingdom was the main developer and controller of Libya’s oil. The United Kingdom is currently one of the NATO members bombing the crap out of Libya.
The United States also maintained a huge air base, called Wheeler Air Base, in the Kingdom of Libya.
The rebel’s use of the flag of the old Kingdom of Libya suggests that this is just an attempt by Europe and the United States to regain control in North Africa. After all, even the U.S. Marine Corps hymn mentions attacking Tripoli in the past.
Some reports say a live interview from inside Gaddafi’s home, was stopped when gunfire erupted inside the home.
Other reports say that Gaddafi’s Presidential Guards have joined with rebels.
Three of Gaddafi’s sons have been detained. Rebels claim they have total control of Tripoli.
The Libyan government holding emergency press conference. They say that Tripoli has been under constant attack by rebel and NATO forces for the past 11 straight hours.
They say the hospitals are full of dead and dying. At least 1,300 residents of Tripoli are dead, another 5,000 are wounded. Libyan officials say that is far more than what they have in military forces in Tripoli, and it is proof that U.S. led NATO does not care about civilians.
They say their hospitals are now overwhelmed, even the International Red Cross is unable to handle the situation.
The Libyan government warns that if the rebels win then Libya will be turned into another Afghanistan. The Libyan rebels are made up of tribalists and al-Qaeda, the very thing the United States is fighting in Afghanistan (at least that’s what U.S. officials claim as the reason for being in Afghanistan).
Libyan western supported rebels claim they’ve captured two of Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi’s sons. This after days of ground fighting in Tripoli.
There were also rumors that Tunisia offered Gaddafi asylum. Gaddafi says he will stay in Tripoli “until the end.”
In Brazil, the Libyan embassy lowered the Libyan flag, and raised the flag of the Libyan rebels.
“Between 100 and 120 people have been arrested. In terms of size, there has never been such an arrest operation on this scale in the Hebron area before.”-Samira Halaika, Palestinian Member of Parliament in West Bank
Israeli troops raided Hebron, West Bank, and detained 120 men. Analysts say it was a desperate attempt by Israelis to prevent any attacks coming from West Bank. Officially Israel says all the men are members of Hamas, but local Palestinians say they is no proof to support that claim. Palestinians in the West Bank responded by throwing rocks at the Israeli soldiers. The Israelis responded by shooting at the rock throwers. Yeah, rocks versus bullets, cry me a river Israel!!!
While Israel troops were raiding West Bank in the middle of the night, Israeli officials offered Gazans a cease fire, but only if they stop launching their retaliatory rockets. Of course Israel immediately launched air strikes after making the cease fire offer. One Hamas official responded: “All attempts by the occupation to hit at Hamas are doomed to fail; experience has shown that it only makes Hamas stronger. If the [Israeli] aggression stops, Hamas will consult with the Palestinian factions about how to deal with the situation.”-Mushir al-Masri, Palestinian MP in Gaza
“The United Nations has to take procedures to stop the Israeli offensive on Gaza.”-Nabil El-Araby, Arab League Secretary General
After an emergency meeting, the Arab league has condemned the Israeli attacks on Gaza, and demand action by the United Nations.
The Arab League also condemned “Israeli aggression against the Egyptian forces”.
More than a week ago Israeli officials admitted they were willing to go to war to stop the UN recognition of Palestine as a UN member. Also, recently a former Israel defense official admitted that plans have been made to take the Sinai.