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In Libya, while you weren't looking...
...the rebels have been making some encouraging advances in and around Misurata. The reporting of C.J. Chivers both in the New York Times and on his Twitter feed has been essential reading.*
The worst-case scenario Zack Hosford and I had predicted a few months ago sadly came to pass in Libya, but it is worth considering the possibility that NATO air strikes, economic sanctions and improving rebel tactical performances are finally combining to have an effect on the forces of Moammar Gadhafi. In the end, I am inclined to agree with Lisa Anderson that both sides will feel compelled to fight until the end in Libya, but right now, even skeptics of the war kinetic military action like me should take some heart in the advances of the rebels.
*How great is Twitter? It's at its best when a top-flight reporter like Chivers files his report for the New York Times and then has the humility and intellectual curiosity to engage with questions from his stateside readers, which he has been doing the entire time he (and Bryan) have been in Libya.
UPDATE: The rebels have the airport.
>...the rebels have been
>...the rebels have been making some encouraging advances in and around Misurata.
What's encouraging about a potential rebel victory?
It's a trap!
It's a trap!
Here's a funny story from the
Here's a funny story from the opening days of the Libyan revolution - the first website to go down was that of the U.S.-Libya Business Association:
"USLBA, incorporated in 2005, describes itself as "the only U.S. trade association focusing on the United States and Libya," and has organized policy conferences attended by senior US officials."
"A Web cache of the group reveals that over a dozen oil and energy companies and military contractors are members of its executive advisory committee, including Dow Chemical, Chevron, Halliburton, Shell, Raytheon and Occidental Petroleum."
"The Bush administration lifted Libya from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism in May 2006, reopening diplomatic relations between the two longtime foes."
More on that here from March:
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/03/us_business_community...
Point being, we already had the oil deals and the arms deals lined up, and the revolution threw those plans into disarray - much as would happen if the same thing happened in Saudi Arabia ($60 billion in arms sales might evaporate). That accounts for the initially tepid response (as well as the not-so-curious silence on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, etc.).
Speaking of arms deals, isn't it tragic about India? That is, they didn't go for the $10 billion U.S. arms sale being pushed by our traveling salesmen, instead went with some Euro outfits. In contrast, the Saudis will buy any old junk, won't they? Just gotta grease enough palms.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/05/20115494517933644.html
well done, mencius. +1
well done, mencius. +1
Watch "Ip Man 1" (NOT "Ip Man
Watch "Ip Man 1" (NOT "Ip Man 2"). You will understand PC-COIN in China.
Er, gd, the Indian defence
Er, gd, the Indian defence ministry is just as corrupt as any other, there have been endless scandals (anyone remember Bofors?) so I doubt it's for any lack of palm-greasing that they did not accept the US tender. Probably the euros had more grease available.
Abu M, in case you missed it, Brit academics are being accused of aiding terror because they downloaded the Al Qaeda training manual for research: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/may/04/nottingham-university-ro...
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