Machine gunning civilians

[Tony]

The report speaks for itself

 

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110220/twl-libyan-troops-machine-gun-protesters-3fd0ae9.html

 

Unconfirmed reports from Libya say troops have fired machine guns on crowds of anti-government protesters, with opposition groups claiming more than 100 people have been killed.

 

Exiled Libyan opposition groups estimate the number of deaths at 120, with up to 1,000 injured in clashes.

Other reports put the death toll as high as 200.

Although the capital of Tripoli is subdued, security forces allegedly shot dead dozens of protesters as they struggled to stamp out a revolt in Benghazi, as violence spread to nearby al Bayda and further west to Misratah.

The bloody crackdown prompted about 50 Libyan Muslim religious leaders to issue an appeal for the security forces, as Muslims, to stop the killing.

"This is an urgent appeal from religious scholars, intellectuals, and clan elders from Tripoli, Bani Walid, Zintan, Jadu, Msalata, Misrata, Zawiah, and other towns and villages of the western area," the appeal said.

"We appeal to every Muslim, within the regime or assisting it in any way, to recognise that the killing of innocent human beings is forbidden... Do not kill your brothers and sisters. Stop the massacre now!"

A witness told Reuters snipers had fired at protesters from a fortified compound. "Dozens were killed ... not 15, dozens. We are in the midst of a massacre here," said the resident, who did not want to be named.

Independent verification by foreign journalists is not possible in Libya due to visa restrictions and state controlled media by the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said at least 84 people have been killed in Libya since the protests began last week.

The Libyan witness said he helped take the victims to a local hospital during Saturday's violence.

The Benghazi man said security forces had set up a 50-yard perimeter around their "command centre" and fired at anyone approaching it.

He said people were killed after protesters tried to break into the compound command, while another resident earlier said the security forces were confined to the compound and not patrolling the streets.

The resident said the violence was beginning to hurt food supplies, and Italy's Ansa news agency quoted an Italian witness there as saying the city was "completely out of control".

"All the government and institutional buildings and a bank have been burnt, and the rebels have ransacked and destroyed everything," the Italian said.

"There's no one on the streets, not even the police."

US Department of State spokesman PJ Crowley tweeted about the violence and said: "Libya continues to restrict outside communications but it cannot hide the mounting death toll as it cracks down on peaceful protesters."

Meanwhile the state Jana news agency said it had arrested dozens of members of a network of Arab nationals in several cities who were members of a "foreign network (and were) trained to damage Libya's stability, the safety of its citizens and national unity."

Sources close to the investigation, quoted by the agency, said the group included Tunisian, Egyptian, Sudanese, Palestinian, Syrian and Turkish citizens.

However international observers see the claims as being a way to divert dissatisfaction with the regime of Colonel Gaddafi.

Those arrested were "charged with inciting acts of looting and sabotage, such as burning hospitals, banks, courts, prisons, police stations and offices of the military police, as well as public buildings and private properties, according to plans drawn up earlier," Jana said.

:: HRW said the death toll a reflection of the ferocity of the security crackdown mounted in response to anti-government protests that sought to emulate uprisings in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia.

[mike edds]

libya, that filthy hell hole needs burning.

[Greybeard]

I expect that as usual our commercial interests in Libya will override any official expression of outrage or sanction of Colonel Gaddafi's conduct.

 

Corporate profits always trump moral rectitude.

[anywebsite]

I expect that as usual our commercial interests in Libya will override any official expression of outrage or sanction of Colonel Gaddafi's conduct.

 

Corporate profits always trump moral rectitude.

 

It depends on whether our government think the protesters will succeed or not. They wouldn't want to upset the new regime either.

[spindrift]

CNN: As you look at the trend of protests sweeping the Middle East and North Africa, where do you think this is headed?

 

Zakaria: I think Egypt is too central in the Arab world for this not to have an effect. I think it has awakened the consciousness of people throughout the Arab world.

 

These are often tough regimes. They have basically two methods of control. I would divide the Arab world into two groups of countries. There are those that use mass repression, and there are those that use mass bribery. The mass repression is of course the Syrias of the world, and the bribery tends to be done more by the Gulf States. Kuwait and Bahrain in recent weeks have given bonuses to every citizen -- Kuwait gave $3,000 and Bahrain $2,700.

 

All of these regimes are trying their own tactics, and I think in some cases they will work The Saudis have a long tradition of buying off their political opposition, but everywhere I think you're going to see an effect and a demand for accountability, for transparency, for better treatment.

 

CNN: What regimes are most threatened?

 

Zakaria: My guess is that the places that are most vulnerable are places like Yemen where the government is inherently weak, or Bahrain where a minority rules a majority. Ironically it is in places like Bahrain where you see the cracks most clearly, because it has been liberalizing and allowing enough openness that people are connected to the outside world.

 

The interesting one to watch will be Syria, which is of course deeply repressive, by some measures the most repressive. But yet, having done so little liberalization, the Assad family presides over a very stagnant country, where things seem less stirred up than in other countries where there have been some half measures at openness.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/18/zakaria.bahrain.mideast/index.html?hpt=T2#

[Swan_Vesta]

I expect that as usual our commercial interests in Libya will override any official expression of outrage or sanction of Colonel Gaddafi's conduct.

 

Corporate profits always trump moral rectitude.

 

Well said that man.

[Nagel]

When I was working in Libya 10 years ago it was always said the greatest danger to Gadaffi was a civil war between the western side of the country where Tripoli is and the east led by Benghazi. It looks like this might be happening.

 

Even back then there were sporadic protests and I saw a pickup truck full of protesters being chased by a police car with the police leaning out of the windows firing at them.

[alchresearch]

Did anyone expect any different? Iran and Lybia won't take any pro-democracy rubbish.

[melthebell]

sounds like the kind of activity plenty on here would like to get into

[Harleyman]

Hope one of the shooting victims was the Lockerbie bomber