Violence Rages in Libya
Libya's Green resistance struggles to be free on NTC and NATO occupation.
by Stephen Lendman
Occupied Libya isn't pretty. Libya SOS said its government "recognize(d) the presence of the forces belonging to 14 different nationalities in the country under the umbrella of the training, assistance and advice."
In mid-January, 12,000 US troops sent to Malta readied to occupy Libya. Around 6,000 or more now guard oil facilities. Perhaps contingents from other nations guard other strategic locations. People needs aren't addressed. Exploiting, not helping, them is planned.
On January 5, London's Independent headlined, "Libya's leader warns of civil war after Tripoli gun battles," saying:
Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Washington's man in Libya, commented after rival militia gun battles left "a trail of dead and injured."
According to Jalil:
"We are now between two bitter options. We deal with these violations by brigades strictly and put the Libyans in a military confrontation which we don't accept, or we split and there will be civil war. If there's no security, there will be no law, no development and no elections."
At issue are turf battles, anger about being left out of NTC plans, and promises made, then ignored or broken.
On January 22, The New York Times headlined, Libya Protests Spur Shake-Up in Interim Government," saying:
Libya's NTC "faced a political crisis Sunday after protesters ransacked its offices in Benghazi, highlighting growing nationwide unease with its leadership and triggering a shake-up in which the governing council's No. 2 official resigned and several members were suspended."
Lawyer/political activist Salwa Bugaighis worried that conditions will "become worse."
On Sunday, about 2,000 protesters raged outside NTC Benghazi headquarters. Using grenades, iron bars and stones, they set exterior grounds ablaze, broke windows, forced their way inside, ransacked offices, and confronted Jalil angrily.
Weeks earlier, they pitched tents outside NTC headquarters, protesting unaccounted for government money and secretly drafted election laws. According to lawyer Tamer al-Jahani:
"The election laws have not been approved by thousands of Libyans and do not honor those who died for our freedom. We don't want to replace one tyrant with another."
