Reply #45: Khalifa Hifter is an old man trying to be someone, he controls a small group of loyalists...

[joshcryer]

...but otherwise is a niche figure, he does not control the rebel army as the TNC has said time and time again that Abdul Fatah Younis is the head of the Free Libyan Army. Yes there was a point where Khalifa Hifter was reportedly chosen to be the head (basically his own claim as far as I can tell, it was never official), because he has no connections to Gaddafi's modern army (he defected to the United States decades ago, at the end of the Libya-Chad war), and some saw it as a way to distance the TNC from anything Gaddafi, but Hifter's role was quickly nipped in the bud because he was seen as having been away from Libya too long. Younis, while he may have been part of Gaddafi's army defected very early on (thus garnering himself a death sentence without knowing the outcome), that arguably absolves him of Gaddafi-related crimes he may have done.

Such articles are not worth ones time because they're a gross misrepresentation (particularly because Younis has since that article been named the head of the Free Libyan Army with Hifter taking a backseat for all intents).

It's amusing how so much the CIA has been considered some sort of meddling entity that can somehow control the minds of tens of thousands of rebel fighters (most of whom, as http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4872438&mesg_id=4873041">Iterate notes are fighting for their own localities; the 'front line' being people who had liberated cities and then go on to defend their cities). Hifter's loyalists (a bunch of old geezers and some youths) are not at the center of the rebellion nor could they ever be.

Indeed, the CIA would be making a horrible mistake actually siding with the TNC given that the TNC says unequivocally that they will not run for office. What puppet is the west going to install? Really? It's going to be an unknown, might even be that soccer player at the head of the Lions of Misrata. A soccer player turned freedom fighter. Where else but a revolution could such a thing happen?