Qadafi may have fled to Venezuela (unconfirmed but credible British sources)

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#2238: Turkey, which is a member of Nato, says in a foreign ministry statement it will make the "necessary preparations" to implement the no-fly zone, according to Reuters.

#2315: Residents of the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi have welcomed the air and missile strikes by the UN-mandated international coalition. Iyad Ali told the Reuters news agency: "We think this will end Gaddafi's rule. Libyans will never forget France's stand with them. If it weren't for them, then Benghazi would have been overrun tonight." Khaled al-Ghurfali added: "We salute, France, Britain, the United States and the Arab countries for standing with Libya. But we think Gaddafi will take out his anger on civilians. So the West has to hit him hard."

Not sure about this...

http://twitter.com/ShababLibya

ALL, yes ALL Gaddafi forces in ZINTAN have joined the #Feb17 revolution, Zintan now fully armed and ready #Libya #gaddaficrimes 35 minutes ago via web

News from Zintan comes via confirmed source to #Almanara, the most trusted source throughout the revolution#Libya #Feb17 30 minutes ago via web

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#2324: Libya's foreign ministry says it considers no longer valid UN Security Council resolution 1973, which called for a no-fly zone over Libya and demanded a ceasefire, the AFP news agency reports.

Not sure if this is from this morning/afternoon, or more recent:

http://twitter.com/LibyaInMe

Revolutionaries speaking on Aljazeera: After a successful ambush in Benghazi, we got our hands on 12 SUVs #libya #feb17 6 minutes ago via web

Revolutionaries speaking on Aljazeera: After a successful ambush in Benghazi, we got our hands on 4 tanks #libya #feb17 5 minutes ago via web

[No Excuses]

Maybe not all but I do expect Gaddafi loyalists to start defecting. They stand no chance with the revolutionaries getting back up from Western powers.

I wish the international community as a whole had taken initiative earlier but better late than never.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

yep - i fully expect Gaddafi to be assassinated sometime soon by his own people

[visionary]

yep - i fully expect Gaddafi to be assassinated sometime soon by his own people

He says he's giving out guns to everyone. Hopefully it backfires if he really is.

http://twitter.com/LibyaFeb17_com

Anti-aircraft missle batteries bombarded in An-Naasiriyah, Al Ma'moorah, Al Garaboolee and Tajoura - #feb17 #libya - http://t.co/yCg21dd 3 minutes ago via Tweet Button

http://twitter.com/NicRobertsonCNN

We are hearing sustained, heavy anti-aircraft fire and explosions in Tripoli4 minutes ago via web

AFP is reporting that the African Union has called for all attacks on Libya to stop.

There's reports of people are coming out into the streets in Tripoli.

[No Excuses]

The AU is (and has mostly been) completely and utterly useless in any time of crisis. Nothing they say is of any relevance or importance.

[twa]

The AU is (and has mostly been) completely and utterly useless in any time of crisis. Nothing they say is of any relevance or importance.

And if supporters help Qaddafi?

BLTO...I suggest that is about as likely as him fleeing was,the actions against him could certainly generate supporters....I hope they know what they are doing,since a less formal war of attrition can be just as deadly.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

The AU is (and has mostly been) completely and utterly useless in any time of crisis. Nothing they say is of any relevance or importance.

well yeah, who gives a **** about Africa besides Egypt? :pfft:

[No Excuses]

And if supporters help Qaddafi?

Aren't some already helping with mercenaries and aid? Even though Gaddafi was a friend of the union, his regime is a sinking ship. I think the Union recognizes that as well. It's probably in everyones best interest that the unrest in Libya comes to an end and that won't happen until Gaddafi is gone. What happens afterwards is what worries me.

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/acarvin

UK defence ministry: UK Tornado jets now striking Libyan defence systems. "The RAF has also launched star-shadow missiles" from Tornados. half a minute ago via TweetDeck

[twa]

Best interests are funny things,especially to those in the region....wouldn't be the first dictator to hold on ,nor for complications to arise.

Hope I'm wrong,but I expect a mess

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#0117: More now on the casualties reported by Libyan state television: An armed forces communique says the "wanton attack" on Saturday targeted military installations in Tripoli, Misrata, Benghazi, Zuwara and Sirte. "The aggression killed 48 martyrs, most of whom were children, women and elderly," the communique adds. More than 150 were injured and maimed. "This savage attack affected many educational, health and civilian installations. It also terrorised the children and women living near by the sites targeted by this savage attack."

#0121: Libyan state television is also quoting the military as saying its troops have "downed the barbaric, unjust, Crusading enemy's war jets".

#0138: Clovis Maksoud, a former Arab League representative to the UN, tells the BBC that Arab states will soon join the operation in Libya:

"They will do it within the framework of the United Nations.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, perhaps Jordan, will join in one form or another in whatever the leadership of the UN operation requires.

There is a willingness to participate in whatever capacity they can.

Already they have deployed some of their aircraft to help the coalition."

#0208: Abdul Karim, a doctor in Libya's third city of Misrata, tells the BBC: "There has been strong firing from Gaddafi's tanks from the western side of Misrata, in an area called Guseir. The firing started five hours ago. I can still hear the sounds of explosions. I was heading home when I heard the explosions, so now I have gone to a safer place."

---------- Post added March-19th-2011 at 10:44 PM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#0226: Shashank Joshi, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) says there have been "very mixed messages" from Washington. "On the one hand, the US is insisting on playing a peripheral role and staying at arms' length. The statements we've seen so far, as well as the means of attacking Libya - cruise missiles rather than jet aircraft - give you a sense of just how strongly the Americans want to stay at some distance until the Arabs have joined the operation," he says.

#0229: Mr Joshi adds: "Just to give you a sense of how disjointed this operation is, not only did the French strike first, by they did so without giving full warning to their own allies. This would have angered many.

It will be very difficult to hold together such a disparate collection of allies, who are not operating within Nato and which perhaps soon will include Arab states, alongside whom Western powers have not fought since the 1990s.

The fact that they delayed action until Saturday will have a serious impact on the course of the next couple of days. Col Gaddafi has been able to move his armoured units into urban areas where they cannot be hit easily."

[visionary]

On Al Jazeera English television the correspondent there is saying that jets are right now attacking to the west of Benghazi. It is assumed that Gaddafi's armor and artillery is being bombarded from the air by coalition forces.

---------- Post added March-19th-2011 at 11:24 PM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#0314: Abdel, a doctor in the town of Misrata, Libya, about 200km east of Tripoli, tells BBC World television that Gaddafi loyalists have been moving the bodies of people killed in clashes between rebels and government forces to sites that have been bombed by the coalition to make it appear they have died in the strikes.

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 12:01 AM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

0343: Anas in Misrata, Libya, tells the BBC: "The city is currently relatively calm, from time-to-time I hear the voices and the sounds of artillery fire. Now I hear gunfire and artillery.

Water is totally cut off from the city, electricity cut off from some areas, the forces of Gaddafi stationed away from the city, but there are some tanks stationed in the outskirts of the city.

The humanitarian and medical situation is bad in Misrata. We suffer a shortage of medicines especially anesthetics, dialysis and cancer drugs. We appeal to the international community to intervene effectively and humanely protect us."

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I thought this was a no fly zone?

[visionary]

I thought this was a no fly zone?

What do you mean?

The No Fly zone hasn't been completely established yet.

But it is a protect the civilians zone in accordance with the UN resolution.

Anything short of sending in occupying forces can be done to protect the Libyan people.

A no fly zone is only part of it.

This has been stressed for a couple of days now.

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 12:18 AM ----------

From a few hours ago:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/19/libya-live-blog-gadhafi-to-obama-sarkozy-butt-out/?hpt=T1

[9:50 p.m. ET, 3:50 a.m. in Libya]A woman in Tripoli says she was awoken this morning by a loud explosion from a nearby military base.

After being shaken from her sleep around 2:20 a.m., she said she heard gunfire and went to the roof of her building to observe.

"Then I heard the second explosion," she said. She saw fire rising up from the direction of Mitiga Airport, formerly known as the U.S. Wheelus Air Base.

She also said that people continue to live in fear of Gadhafi. "They're afraid to come out because when they do, he attacked them very, very severely," she says. "This is putting terror in all neighborhoods."

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Oh ok. I thought they were still going with the whole "its just going to be a no fly zone, we swear" thing. Interesting that what I said was going to happen has happened. Be curious to see where all this ends up and I do hope I'm wrong. I am rooting for the Libyan people. (As I am for the Yemeni's and Baharanians. Not sure why their plight isn't getting any play.)

[visionary]

Oh ok. I thought they were still going with the whole "its just going to be a no fly zone, we swear" thing. Interesting that what I said was going to happen has happened. Be curious to see where all this ends up and I do hope I'm wrong. I am rooting for the Libyan people. (As I am for the Yemeni's and Baharanians. Not sure why their plight isn't getting any play.)

To be honest, military experts have been saying on CNN and Al Jazeera for weeks that any No Fly Zone would need to be accompanied with airstrikes to be effective, US military officials have said the same.

Personally I didn't expect there would be quite this much foreign involvement, but things have gotten pretty bad there lately and it was seeming inevitable the last few days that some major intervention would be needed to prevent a worse massacre (mainly in Misrata and Benghazi), if the UN wanted to.

Al Jazeera and has had a lot of coverage of Yemen and Bahrain lately, also some on Syria.

But of course nothing compared to coverage of Libya where there is a lot going on and things got much more intense today.

There's been constant Japan coverage every day on all the major news channels too.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

No they said that airstrikes to take out Libya's anti-airrcraft defenses (radar and SAM sites specifically) would be necessary. Nobody said anything about taking out tanks and artilery and, I'm assuming, ground troops. Slippery slope. That's what I've been saying all along. It's just interesting to me to see how quickly and quietly this thing has been ratched up. And I'm confused as to where all the "no fly zone ONLY" people have gone. I just don't like how there has been no real debate on this, how we've been sucked into it, how our role seemingly expands every day, that nobody has a clue as to what the end game is, how we're going to get to one, and how long it's going to take and how costly it's going to be to get there. Also don't like how nobody here, in America, gives a **** about the Yemeni's and Bahranians who are also being killed.

[visionary]

No they said that airstrikes to take out Libya's anti-airrcraft defenses (radar and SAM sites specifically) would be necessary. Nobody said anything about taking out tanks and artilery and, I'm assuming, ground troops. Slippery slope. That's what I've been saying all along. It's just interesting to me to see how quickly and quietly this thing has been ratched up. And I'm confused as to where all the "no fly zone ONLY" people have gone. I just don't like how there has been no real debate on this, how we've been sucked into it, how our role seemingly expands every day, that nobody has a clue as to what the end game is, how we're going to get to one, and how long it's going to take and how costly it's going to be to get there. Also don't like how nobody here, in America, gives a **** about the Yemeni's and Bahranians who are also being killed.

Yeah, I didn't hear much talk of taking out tanks or artillery until a couple of days ago or so from the US and others.

On the other hand, there had been a lot of discussion of such things by the opposition in Libya for a couple of weeks or so now.

Opposition leaders in the west were very strongly in favor of it, those in the East less so.

Some of those leaders died in Zawiyah and it's possible that the others who had been reluctant started coming around to their point of view after what happened there and what they saw coming in Zintan, Misrata, and the eastern cities.

Not sure what in particular made the US come around to this way of thought though.

Possibly the same growing dread of a massive onslaught in the cities by Gaddafi forces.

I think the US and the rest took a lot of heat for not helping Zawiyah and were worried of worse happening in other places.

I don't know that people in the US don't care about Bahrain and Yemen.

I think they just don't know much about them.

Obviously neither country has as "interesting" a leader as Gaddafi.

I do see most of the same people on twitter from, here and around the world who support the opposition in Libya, supporting the people of Yemen and Bahrain as well. Personally I was aware of and closely following news about Yemen and Bahrain before the massacres and fighting in the east of Libya broke that story open and overshadowed the others.

Algeria was in the news back then too, but has not gotten much attention lately. Partially due to promises made by the president there, and partially also to the fact that they're protests have been much less frequent.

And there hasn't been any big news from there lately.

[sacase]

No they said that airstrikes to take out Libya's anti-airrcraft defenses (radar and SAM sites specifically) would be necessary. Nobody said anything about taking out tanks and artilery and, I'm assuming, ground troops. Slippery slope. That's what I've been saying all along. It's just interesting to me to see how quickly and quietly this thing has been ratched up. And I'm confused as to where all the "no fly zone ONLY" people have gone. I just don't like how there has been no real debate on this, how we've been sucked into it, how our role seemingly expands every day, that nobody has a clue as to what the end game is, how we're going to get to one, and how long it's going to take and how costly it's going to be to get there. Also don't like how nobody here, in America, gives a **** about the Yemeni's and Bahranians who are also being killed.

Wait till the Iranians, and every other country who has a dictator they don't like decides to act up and want a "democratic" government decides that get a few hundred "peaceful" protesters invoved and you can get American military support...bad precedent.

[visionary]

Wait till the Iranians, and every other country who has a dictator they don't like decides to act up and want a "democratic" government decides that get a few hundred "peaceful" protesters invoved and you can get American military support...bad precedent.

I think this was a pretty unique situation.

Most places are unlikely to have a unified opposition as strong as the one in Libya has been, while at the same time coupled with a dictator on the other side capable of ruling through fear and as infamous as Gaddafi is.

Most countries the government will collapse and the leader will either be turned upon by his allies, or he will end up resigning, or the opposition will not gain enough strength and die away. There's no way in hell we're going into Iran in any case and no one there expects us to.

[twa]

There's no way in hell we're going into Iran in any case and no one there expects us to.

Why not?....what makes Libya different

[visionary]

Why not?....what makes Libya different

First of all, the opposition in Iran hasn't asked for any help.

Secondly after seeing how easily the government there dealt with Mousavi and Karoubi, the opposition isn't capable of much other than being a nuisance at the moment.

There's not much that could be done to help them right now from the outside.

In any case I don't see why people so often seem to think that every problem requires the same solution.

On the other hand, none of that has kept our officials from taking verbal shots at Iran every chance they get lately. Kind of odd actually how they work Iran into a lot of statements.

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 02:19 AM ----------

Hmmm. I thought the US wasn't using planes to attack targets yet.

Seems like we're shooting a lot of missiles and bombs at a few targets.

I guess we want to be sure....

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-20-0

6:10am More information on the force that has been deployed against Libya in the past 24 hours. CBS News reports: Three U.S. B-2 stealth bombers dropped 40 bombs on a major Libyan airfield

[visionary]

12:21pm According to the AFP news agency, one hospital in Benghazi says at least 94 people died in Gaddafi's last push on the city late Friday night and Saturday morning, in the hours after the UN security council approved military action against him but before coalition planes were in the air.

Misrata seems to be under a heavy attack this morning from Gaddafi forces.

http://twitter.com/ShababLibya

Misrata witnessing heavy attacks by Gaddafi forces, the city is paying a heavy price #Libya #Feb17 #gaddaficrimes 42 minutes ago via web

Witness to CNN Gaddafi is 'using tanks, artillery and cannons' against Misrata as he is going all out on the city #Libya #Feb17 29 minutes ago via web

Misrata: Gaddafi forces shelling residential areas, 2 tanks were destroyed in the city via caller to BBC #Libya #Feb17 #gaddaficrimes 3 minutes ago via web

Nineteen U.S. warplanes, including stealth bombers and fighter jets, conducted strike operations in Libya on Sunday morning. via CNN #Libya 28 minutes ago via web

http://twitter.com/LibyanDictator

Gaddafi brigades surround #Misrata from 3 entrances and violent, shelling can be heard East of the city. #Libya #Feb17 17 minutes ago via web

#Misrata: "Shelling sounds different to before, louder, bigger.." Also, heavy gunfire West of the city. #Libya #Feb17 15 minutes ago via web

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1107: An eyewitness in Misrata has told a BBC team that government tanks have rolled into the centre of the city. He described what he called a "massacre" with 40 civilians injured and at least 10 dead with civilian buildings coming under attack. The BBC cannot independently confirm the details.

#1121: The BBC has spoken to Mohamed, a spokesman for rebels in Misrata, who says the situation in the city is "really, really" dire. Shelling had resumed "in incredible fashion" for a third day after a brief pause when the international forces intervened, he said. "Misrata is being razed to the ground right now, we heard that the city centre is almost destroyed."

1129: Khaled, in the UK, writes: "I just have been told (on Sunday 20 March) by my sister who lives in Misrata that Gaddafi forces are shelling residences and homes with massive force. Everyone is hysterical and there is lots of screaming. I am very worried."

1133: More on reports of attacks by Col Gaddafi's forces on the city of Misrata. Anas, a pharmacist in the city's main hospital told the BBC they had received two victims and many injured. He says: "Shelling is random and heavy. Two tanks destroyed by rebels.

#1143: The US chief military officer Admiral Mike Mullen says US and allied forces have effectively established a no-fly zone over Libya.

#1159: Dozens of Gaddafi military vehicles, including tanks, were destroyed on Sunday in the coalition air strikes west of Benghazi, AFP correspondents and insurgents said.

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 08:20 AM ----------

UPDATE

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

1213: Defence Secretary Liam Fox says early indications suggest Saturday's operation by UK pilots was "very successful".

#1219: Arab countries will be moving "military assets" to the region in the next few days, Dr Fox adds. He says this is vital to demonstrating that this is an international effort, not the west imposing its will.

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 08:49 AM ----------

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-20-0

1:48pm The Washington Post reports that Western reconnaissance satellites are watching a "small garage" south of Sirte where it is believed the Gaddafi regime stores around 10 tonnes of mustard gas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1243: The Libyan state news agency has announced that the government will distribute weapons to more than one million men and women within hours, Reuters reports.

a million...really?

If he even has that many guns, I can't imagine this is a good idea for Gaddafi.

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/Sal7a

Confirmed: Mohammed Bouzaid & Sanoussi Alwazri were arrested by Benghazi revolutionaries, they were leading a group of snipers there #Libya 12 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

http://twitter.com/Libyan4life

AlJazeera Arabic has a caller that just confirmed that #Gaddafi forces are in the city of #Misrata 7 minutes ago via web

http://twitter.com/ShababLibya

AJA Caller from Misrata, 3 Tanks entered into the city of Misrata one of which has been destroyed #Libya #Feb17 4 minutes ago via web

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 10:00 AM ----------

UPDATE

Things are pretty bad in Misrata.

http://twitter.com/dovenews

BREAKING!!! Heavy resistance from the Freedom Fighters against Gaddafi's thugs in Misrata, Snipers are used to protect Gaddafi tanks. 32 minutes ago via web

BREAKING!! Rueters: Gaddafi is using boats to block Misrata port. #libya #savelibya 25 minutes ago via web

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1351: In Misrata, where residents have said pro-Gaddafi forces have entered the city, there are reports of two people being killed, and boats are in the port preventing aid from landing, Reuters reports.

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 10:07 AM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1404: According to AFP, Italian defence minister Ignazio La Russa has announced that Italy has assigned eight combat aircraft to the Libya campaign and that they can be used "at any time".

---------- Post added March-20th-2011 at 10:11 AM ----------

http://twitter.com/LibyaFeb17_com

At least 14 tanks and 20 Armoured personnel carriers destroyed near Benghazi - #feb17 #libya - http://t.co/yCg21dd half a minute ago via Tweet Button

[visionary]

http://twitter.com/shaistaAziz

BBC: Dr says shooting near hospital in Misrata."They are destroying everything , shooting ambulances, Drs unable to treat injured," #Libya 7 minutes ago via web

Mohamed from Misrata on Al Jazeera English television is saying that they need help badly there and that international forces must cut off Gaddafi's supply lines to the east, west and south of Misrata outside the city.

He says that without action by international forces, Misrata will be wiped out.

He also criticized China, Russia, and Venezuela, saying Chavez was crazy.

Also disagreed with Moussa and said that not nearly enough has been done yet.

Not quite sure what this means.

Earlier there were reports of Italian fighter jets ready to be used by the coalition already though.

But also reports that Italy would not engage in the no fly zone enforcement itself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418

#1422: After reports of an Italian shipping company's tugboat crew being detained in Tripoli, with eight Italian, two Indian and one Ukrainian crew members aboard, the Italian defence minister said he was ready to intervene in the situation.

Whoa!

#1435: Italy is ready to use "all possible means" to free the 11-strong crew of an Italian tugboat held in the Libyan port of Tripoli, defense minister Ignazio La Russa tells the AFP news agency.