Libyan Revolution Tweets, Day 17 (or 19*), Part 4

[Catherina]

Libyan Revolution Tweets, Day 17 (or 19*), Part 4

Today's threads: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

#Feb17 Youth organizers invite Gaddafi's collaborators to stand under his umbrella ella ella ella ella ella http://bit.ly/faa34E

"We have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C. Plan A is to live and die in Libya. Plan B is to live and die in Libya. Plan C is to live and die in Libya."
- Saif Islam Qaddafi during interview

*I called this Day 17 because the official start date was #Feb17 but events kicked off 2 days earlier.

Previous Day 16 threads: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10

The world’s 100 largest arms dealers, excluding Chinese vendors, sold weapons for $401 billion in 2009, with US vendors in first place

Threads for Days 1-16 are in my journal

"I was born in Tunisia, I persevered in Egypt, I sacrificed myself in Libya, I have fought in Yemen&Bahrain. I am Freedom, I will not die."
- Libyan4life Jeel Ghathub

LibyanThinker The Libyan Thinker
New video of Soldiers Executed for Refusing to Shoot Protesters in #Libya

MAP of Protests across the Middle East


Military Installations

Oil Map

Click here for updated and interactive map
Google Earth DL here to see positions of army and patrolling route of mercenaries

Please rec if you read these so I know if the effort here is worth it.

[pinboy3niner]

1. K&R

[Catherina]

2. #gaddafi men are buying armed cars shipping them to #libya from UAE Alfigera airport #feb17

hamzamu hamzamu
confirmed news many sources : #gaddafi men are buying armed cars shipping them to #libya from UAE Alfigera airport #feb17
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[madmax]

3. K&R Thank you, Catherina

your updates are appreciated. You've worked so hard to keep us informed.

:patriot:

:kick:

[Catherina]

6. Thank you 4 reading & keeping informed. This is going to b very important soon

If this isn't diffused and the price of oil hits $300 a barrel, a lot of people in the West are going to panic and start supporting the wrong approaches out of panic, naivete and media misinformation.

The premature media drumroll that this is a civil war is frightening as it paves the way for intervention to secure the oil fields for the West.

[CJvR]

15. Wont happen.

Unless Saudi Arabia blows up as well. The Libyan oil dropout, if it last long, simply means the poor wont be able to afford oil and gas anymore. If the Saudi drops out however then it will be a global disaster.

[Catherina]

28. Will have huge impact on EU and Eastern Europe

their industries will start failing and will pay any price 2 stop that. Combine that with oil speculation and I really foresee that. US supply will be affected to bail out globalization and economic interdependency.

What am I missing in my simplistic interpretation? Appreciate your insight.

[CJvR]

60. IMPO.

If Libya drop out there will be less oil, driving up prices until supply and demand balance out again ( ie the poor cant afford oil anymore, I think it falls short of the 300$ mark ). IIRC the Saudis and OPEC had some slack in their production to compenaste for Libya.
If Saudi Arabia drop out there will not be enough oil at any price. Then you will have rationing and hard times in the rich world and famine and war in the poor world.

[madmax]

62. I hear the screaming already. It's 3.49 a gal. in NC n/t

[Catherina]

4. Zawiya: Tanks are everywhere and opening fire on houses, resident saw at least 7

feb17libya Feb17Libya
#Libya Unrest Live Updates: A resident of Zawiya says Tanks are everywhere and opening fire. http://bit.ly/foTJbQ #feb17
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

5:24 p.m.- A resident of Zawiya tells the AFP news agency: “The tanks are everywhere in the city and are opening fire on houses. I saw at least seven speed outside my house and the shelling does not stop. Pray for us.”

[CJvR]

12. Street fighting.

Hard on the cities and the people, but it is the worst way to use armored formations that could be put to much more devestating use elsewhere - like on the open ground east of Sirte.

Traditional city fighting is one shell in each house and one handgrenade through each window/door. I hope Gaddafi don't have the man or fire power for that, or there will not be much left of Zawiya after the battle.

[sasha031]

5. K/R

[Catherina]

7. Libyan revolutionaries shoot down two helicopters in Ras Lanuf & Ben Jwad

SultanAlQassemi Sultan Al Qassemi
Al Jazeera: Libyan revolutionaries shoot down two helicopters in Ras Lanuf & Ben Jwad. #Libya
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[sasha031]

8. K&R

[Catherina]

9. Official declaration of the Interim Council

LibyaFeb17_com LibyaFeb17.com
BREAKING: Official declaration of the Interim... http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaking-gaddafis-forces-close-in-on-az-zawiya/
3 minutes ago

***UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION***

The Libyan Republic

Declaration of the Establishment of the
National Transitional Temporary Council

In affirmation of the sovereignty of the Libyan people over the entirety of their territory, land, sea and air; and in response to the demands of the Libyan people, towards the realization of the free will with which they shaped the uprising of February 17th; and in preservation of the Libyan people’s national unity; we resolve to establish a national council named ‘the National Transitional Temporary Council’ to be the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

Article 1
Functions

1. To ensure the safety and peace of citizens and the national territory
2. To coordinate national efforts to liberate the remaining quarters of the nation
3. To coordinate the efforts of local councils working towards the return of civic life
4. To supervise the military council so as to ensure the realization of a new doctrine for the national army towards the defense of the Libyan people and protection of its borders
5. To supervise the election of a founding assembly charged with developing a new constitution for the country to be submitted to public referendum, so that the legitimacy of the constitution is founded on: the will of the people, the triumphant uprising of February 17th, respect for human rights, guarantee of civil liberties, separation of powers, an independent judiciary and the establishment of national institutions that provide for broad and pluralistic participation, the peaceful transition of authority and the right of representation for every segment of Libyan society
6. To form a transitional government to pave the way for free elections
7. To conduct and to steer foreign policy, to organize relations with foreign nations and international and regional organizations, and to represent the Libyan people before them

Article 2
The Council’s Organizational Structure

1. The Council is composed of 30 members, representing all of Libya’s regions and all segments of Libyan society, with youth membership representing no less than 5 members.
2. The Council will select from its members a president, an official spokesperson and coordinators for a variety of domestic and foreign functions.

Article 3
Seat of the Council

The Council’s permanent seat is at the capital, Tripoli, taking Benghazi as its temporary seat until the capital is liberated.

Article 4

It is the responsibility of the Council to set protocols for its regular and emergency meetings and to make decisions in accordance with the interests of the Libyan people, in a manner that does not contradict the people’s demands, the basis of which were declared by the uprising of February 17th: the fall of the Gaddafi regime and the establishment of a civil, constitutional and democratic state.

Article 5

Based on agreement of municipal councils across various liberated areas, the Council selects Mr. Mustafa Abdul Jaleel as the President of the National Transitional Temporary Council and Mr. Abdul Hafid Abdul Qader Ghoga as his Deputy and the Official Spokesperson for the Council.

Long Live a Free and United Libya
Glory to the Martyrs of the February 17th Uprising

Liberated Libya March 2, 2011

February 17th Revolutionaries
(stamped by the Coalition of February 17th)

http://feb17.info/general/translation-of-declaration-of-the-establishment-of-national-transitional-temporary-council-in-libya/

original Arabic here.

[defendandprotect]

19. LIBYA HURRA -- !!

[Catherina]

10. current time in Tripoli is 5:47 PM on Saturday, 5 March

TimeInLibya Time In Libya
#Libya The current time in Tripoli is 5:45 PM on Saturday, 5 March 2011
1 minute ago

[Catherina]

11. says his country is seeking a UN Security Council resolution to impose a no-fly zone in Libya

AJELive AJELive
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says his country is seeking a UN Security Council resolution to impose a no-fly zone in Libya
49 seconds ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

13. #Egypt is hopping too. State Security bldg where torture took place

was stormed last night. Protesters found SS inside frantically shredding documents in HUGE shredder. Managed to secure some documents and turned them over to the Army. Now they're realizing the Army isn't going to do anything about prosecuting and stopping torture.


norashalaby Nora Shalaby
The notorious State Security bldg in NasrCity is now surrounded by 100s of protesters. Reform is not possible, the entire apparatus must go
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

estr4ng3d Abdelrahman Hassan
Numbers on the rise here in front of HQ in Nasr City
6 minutes ago

BiancaJagger Bianca Jagger
RT @ramyyaacoub: Across the street from SS building in nasr city is d regular police force. Armed with machine guns on d roof #Jan25 #Egypt
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply



Jan25voices Jan25 Voices
RY at SS HQ:"I just witnessed a police officer almost beaten by protesters for asking them to move. " Video to come #SSEgypt #Egypt #Jan25
4 minutes ago

estr4ng3d Abdelrahman Hassan
An armored vehicle just moved to block another gate
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

occupiedcairo Occupied Cairo
Army officer came to tell us that the #ss building is under their control and we can leave. Crowds not satisfied #jan25
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

14. Tens of garbage trucks passing by. Protesters suspecting them carrying documents.

Egyptocracy Egyptocracy
Tens of garbage trucks passing by. Protesters suspecting them carrying documents. Not usual time for garbage collection. #Egypt #Jan25 #SS
1 minute ago

[Catherina]

21. Army general insists noone is inside Nasr City SS. Protestors insist there r & won't go >>>

Sarahcarr أبو كار
Army general insists noone is inside Nasr City SS. Protestors insist there are and they won't go till place is searched
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply


Many protesters got in their last night when they stormed it. Were removed from building. Now are back with reinforcements. Hope they got the hard drives and other electronic equipment.

[Catherina]

16. BREAKING: Gaddafi forces retreat to Wadi al-Ahmar, 140km east of Misratah

LibyaFeb17_com LibyaFeb17.com
BREAKING: Gaddafi forces retreat to Wadi al-Ahmar, 140km east of Misratah - #feb17 #libya - libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaki…
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply

17:56 BBC An al-Jazeera correspondent in the eastern city of Ras Lanuf says pro-Gaddafi forces have retreated westwards to the area of Wadi al-Ahmar, 140km (87 miles) from Misrata. The rebels are regrouping and are preparing to move towards Wadi al-Ahmar and then the Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte, he adds.

http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaking-gaddafis-forces-close-in-on-az-zawiya/

[Catherina]

17. explosions yest. in #Benghazi were not air raids, either accident or exploded from ground

EnoughGaddafi Enough Gaddafi
Talked 2 eyewitness abt explosions yest. in #Benghazi said they were not air raids, that either accident or exploded from grnd #libya #feb17
2 minutes ago

[Catherina]

18. having lost most of East, most of the east, #G will turn 2 Misurata which btween #Tripoli and #Sirte

MilitantNews Stephen Morgan
#Libya Having control of most of the east, Gaddafi will turn to Misurata because it sits between #Tripoli and #Sirte
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

20. Growing rift in Sirt between Al-Firjan and Gaddafi tribe

LibyaFeb17_com LibyaFeb17.com
BREAKING: Growing rift in Sirt between Al-Firjan and Gaddafi tribe - #feb17 #libya - libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaki…
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply

17:58 BBC- The al-Jazeera correspondent also says there are reports that a rift has emerged in Sirte between the al-Firjan tribe and the al-Qadhdhafa tribe, to which Col Gaddafi belongs. Twenty soldiers from the al-Firjan were tied up and shot dead by members of an internal security brigade in Ras Lanuf when they refused to open fire on the rebels, the reports say.

http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaking-gaddafis-forces-close-in-on-az-zawiya/

This is yesterday's news but it's breaking again. Not sure why.

[Catherina]

22. just a matter of time both tribes direct their anger at #Gaddafi since he has killed ppl from both

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
@
@feb17libya It is just a matter of time both tribes direct their anger at #Gaddafi since he has killed people from both tribes
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

23. Revolutionaries moving into #Sirte...better hide the silver, Gaddafi clan!

LibyaLiberty Army of One
Revolutionaries moving into #Sirte...better hide the silver, Gaddafi clan!
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

24. Interim transitional natl council news conference now: Mustafa Abdul Jalil taking his seat.

Tom_Rayner Tom Rayner
Interim transitional national council holding news conference in Benghazi now - spokesman Mustafa Abdul Jalil taking his seat. #libya
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

25. AlArabiya confirms #G forces have failed in their attack to take back #AzZawiya

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
AlArabiya confirms that progaddafi forces have failed in their attack to take back #AzZawiya #Libya Alhamdoilah
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

26. 40 tanks entered Zawiyah firing @homes Ppl said fight street2street Urban Guerrilla Warfare>

MilitantNews Stephen Morgan
#Libya 40 tanks entered Zawiyah firing at homes Ppl said fight street2street Summary of Urgan Guerrilla Warfare tactics http://bit.ly/hJMyTB
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

...

The same is true of sniper fire, which can also hold a street, stop an advance as well or better than a tanks or artillery. The purpose of the ambush is to capture enemy weapons and to punish him with death. Traps such as enticing the enemy into a cul-de-sac and firing from all sides, can also be supplemented with mines in the road. A temporary roadblock or pincering pick-ups with two moving cars and fire power. Another way to trap is to feed the enemy with false information of an event at certain place to lure them there. Use of cover with buildings or other things is important.

Assaults should be mostly from sides and behind with object of picking off a section of enemy forces but not trying to destroy all of them. Assaults on buildings need careful planning so the forces inside are not too great, easily trapped inside and quick escape is possible. Here use of bombs and grenades is very effective. Look-outs should be used and attacks coordinated thru radio or cell phone.

It should always be remembered, that the point of urban guerrilla warfare is to attack and escape as quickly as possible, in order to conserve forces to fight again. Rigorous planning of a withdrawal is the best way to frustrate any encircling effort on the part of the enemy.

Finally, the groups carrying out the attacks should be around 20 for a given district, which are divided into highly mobile fighting units of 5 each. Those picked should be the most fearless, determined and unhesitating. As the French revolutionary Danton said "Audacity, audacity, audacity"

http://www.militantnews.com/

[Poboy]

27. R'd

[Catherina]

29. BREAKING: Gaddafi forces enter Zawiya and execute fellow soldiers captured by revolutionaries

LibyaFeb17_com LibyaFeb17.com
BREAKING: Gaddafi forces enter Zawiya and execute fellow soldiers captured by revolutionaries - #feb17 #libya - libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaki…
10 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

17:58 BREAKING: Eyewitness tells Al Jazeera that Gaddafi forces enter the central square of Zawiya and have executed their fellow soldiers who were previously captured by the revolutionaries in Az Zawiya

Savages.

[Catherina]

30. #Zawiyah Hospital doctor: 2 people have died in the hospital and 60 others are injured

fieldproducer Neal Mann
#Zawiyah Hospital doctor tells Sky News 12 people have died in the hospital and 60 others are injured from the fighting #Libya
11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

31. Breaking: interim national council says anyone supporting Gaddafi's regime and 'partners in crime'

Tom_Rayner Tom Rayner
Breaking: interim national council says anyone supporting Gaddafi's regime and 'partners in crime'
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

32. Supplies of food, fuel and medicine cut off in #Zawiya

feb17libya Feb17Libya
#Libya Unrest Live Updates: Supplies of food, fuel and medicine cut off in #Zawiya http://bit.ly/foTJbQ #Feb17
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

6:07 p.m.- A doctor in Zawiya has told Sky News the city is being starved into submission, with supplies of food, fuel and medicine cut off.

[Catherina]

33. We c brave men of Libya fighting/dying 4 freedom, but want 2 bring attn 2 our brave unseen women >>

LibyaLiberty Army of One
We see brave men of Libya fighting/dying 4 freedom, but I want to bring attntn to our brave unseen women w/untold stories & no credit.
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

34. #G forces still in #azZawiya, most of them are around albaladiya hotel located downtown

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
#Libya ProGaddafi forces still present in #azZawiya and eyewitness on aja says most of them are around albaladiya hotel located downtown
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

35. #tripoli :confirmed #gaddafi is using families around him as shield

hamzamu hamzamu
Contact in #tripoli :confirmed #gaddafi is using families around him as shield #libya #feb17
7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

36. Gaddafi forces yet to take over #Zawiya square despite their tanks

feb17libya Feb17Libya
#Libya Unrest Live Updates: #Gaddafi forces yet to take over #Zawiya square despite their tanks #Feb17
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

37. fighting has intensified and the tanks are shelling everything, houses, mosque >>

LibyaFeb17_com LibyaFeb17.com
BREAKING: Gaddafi forces shell mosque with... http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaking-gaddafis-forces-close-in-on-az-zawiya/
11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

18:05 Guardian A local resident told Reuters “The fighting has intensified and the tanks are shelling everything on their way. They have shelled houses. Now they are shelling a mosque where hundreds of people are hiding, we can’t rescue anyone because the shelling is so heavy.”

http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaking-gaddafis-forces-close-in-on-az-zawiya/

[Catherina]

38. Roads from #tripoli to #azZawiya are filled with military and tanks, the west of the city >>

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
Roads from #tripoli to #azZawiya are filled with military and tanks, the west of the city (sourman area) is under control by Khweldi
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

39. Only way to help #zawiya is from north east where wershafana tribe is

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
Only way to help #zawiya is from north east where wershafana tribe is #libya
9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

40. Dismembered body parts must be reunited before getting accurate death count 4 yesterday

feb17voices Feb 17 voices
LPC #Benghazi: Many dead &injured in explosion yesterday.Dismembered body parts must be reunited before getting accurate death count. #Libya
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

41. Ras Lanuf: More clashes in Ben Jawad

LibyaFeb17_com LibyaFeb17.com
BREAKING: More clashes in Ben Jawad - #feb17... http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaking-gaddafis-forces-close-in-on-az-zawiya/
10 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

18:18 BBC Rebels are engaging with government forces at Bin Jawad, the BBC’s Nick Springate reports from Ras Lanuf.

[Catherina]

42. Alarabiya saying eyewitness report stating plane was dropped near ras nalof area

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
Alarabiya saying eyewitness report stating plane was dropped near ras nalof area #libya
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply


dropped? Does that mean landed or shot down?

[Catherina]

47. Report of a fighter jet shot down near Ras Lanuf. details>>

6:31 p.m.: Report of a jet shot down near Ras Lanuf. “I saw with my own eyes a downed plane and two dead pilots… strapped into seats,” Ahmed Harram, an unarmed rebel supporter, told Reuters. “It was a fighter plane.”

http://feb17.info/general/libya-unrest-the-civil-war-begins/

[Catherina]

43. Libyan army beat men to death

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
http://tinyurl.com/4ez6umm libyan army beat people to death. #libya
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Libyan army beat men to death: Calgary witness
Oil workers, villagers forced to watch torture
CBC News Posted: Mar 5, 2011 9:06 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 5, 2011 9:10 AM ET

...


The soldiers randomly selected two men from the crowd before they beat them to death in front of everyone, he told CBC News.

...

"One was holding his hand. One was holding his feet, and they started beating him with a piece of wood, and he was shouting, screaming and crying."

Pervez said they poured a flammable liquid over the man and set him on fire.

"He started shouting a lot, so they continued beating him until he died," he said.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/03/05/libya-calgary.html

[Catherina]

44. #G forces organizing themselves in haweysa family farms which is not farm from downtown.

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
Aja stating progaddafi forces organizing themselves in haweysa family farms which is not far from downtown. #libya
2 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

45. A NFZ by #UN is very unlikely as China and Russia will most certainly veto it

MilitantNews Stephen Morgan
#Libya A #no-fly-zone agreed by #UN is very unlikely as China and Russia will most certainly veto it #feb17
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

46. Libyan Govt Has an Estimated 2,025 Tanks

feb17libya Feb17Libya
RT @feb17libya Libya Unrest Live Updates: Libyan Govt Has an Estimated 2,025 Tanks http://bit.ly/foTJbQ
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

6:27 p.m.- With government tanks being thrown into the battle for Zawiya in such numbers, it may be worth knowing just how many Libya has. According to a 2009 estimate by London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies, there were 2,025. (BBC)

6:08 p.m.- Hussein, the Zawiya resident who has been updating the BBC about the situation there, says Gaddafi forces have not been able to take over the square despite their tanks

[Catherina]

48. Advance westwards depends on reinforcements and weather

LibyaFeb17_com LibyaFeb17.com
BREAKING: Advance westwards depends on reinforcements and weather - #feb17 #libya - libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaki…
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

18:38 BBC A veteran soldier who is siding with the rebels has told AFP in Bin Jawad that the speed of the advance west towards the city of Sirte will depend on reinforcements and the weather. A dust storm has drastically reduced visibility in the area, the news agency’s correspondent says. He adds that Bin Jawad is a small settlement – “two restaurants, shacks and houses”. But it is just 150km (95 miles) from Sirte.

http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/breaking-gaddafis-forces-close-in-on-az-zawiya/

[Catherina]

49. #Bahrain: Shia protesters form a human chain around Manama as protests in Bahrain continue

HeyJude408 Judy
RT @palestine: AJELive: Shia protesters form a human chain around Manama as protests in Bahrain continue
4 minutes ago

[Catherina]

50. Alarabiya reporting 1000s of people from werfala marching towards #serit, purpose still unknown.

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
Alarabiya reporting 1000s of people from werfala marching towards #serit, purpose still unknown. #Libya
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

51. #Zawiya Tanks pulling out of town ctr. Revos brought down 3 & "after which they scrammed like mice"

MilitantNews Stephen Morgan
#Libya #Zawiya Tanks pulling out of town center "We have brought down two tanks and now a third, after which they scrammed like mice,"
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

54. After 3 tanks destroyed #G bdes struck with terror, sense of total failure & abandoned their equipmt

MilitantNews Stephen Morgan
#Libya #Zawiya After 3 tanks destroyed "The brigades were struck with terror and a sense of total failure and abandoned their equipment" MSN
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

52. exactly what i was thinking. article about the possibility of a merger between #libya and #egypt

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
http://tinyurl.com/4sodkn4 exactly what i was thinking. article about the possibility of a merger between #libya and #egypt
3 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

A Middle East without borders?
The nation state is ripe for change and people power offers new opportunities for mapping the future of the region.
Mohammed Khan Last Modified: 05 Mar 2011 15:00 GMT




Could the short-lived United Arab Republic serve as an example of cross-border union?
The modern geography of the Middle East was carved out by British and French colonialists whose sole interest was in sharing the spoils of war between themselves and in maintaining their supremacy over the region in the early part of the 20th century.

The contours of the region, with its immaculately straight lines (see maps of Algeria, Libya, Egypt and Sudan) are much the same today as when they were first drawn up, despite decades of cross-border encroachment and conflict.

Never has an imported concept been so jealously guarded by ruling families and political elites in the Middle East as that of the nation state, together with the holy grail of international relations theory, state sovereignty.

The artificialness of the borders in question is not in doubt. Take a look at any map of the Middle East prior to the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France (when the division of the region was finalised with no consideration for the thoughts of the people that lived in it) and you will be hard pressed to find many physical boundaries between, say, Syria to the north-east and Morocco to the west.

...

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/03/201134154351741689.html

DO IT!

[Catherina]

53. Audio of a doctor in #Zawiyah describing to Sky News the situation at the hospital

fieldproducer Neal Mann
Audio of a doctor in #Zawiyah #Libya describing to Sky News the situation at the hospital http://bit.ly/fa890R
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

DOCTOR IN ZAWIYA TELLS SKY NEWS OF CARNAGE IN THE TOWN, WHICH IS BEING STARVED INTO SUBMISSION
30 minutes ago

AUDIO

http://audioboo.fm/boos/294640-doctor-in-zawiya-tells-sky-news-of-carnage-in-the-town-which-is-being-starved-into-submission

[Catherina]

57. Doctor in Ras Lanuf wants to talk to media now! SYRIAN pilots were in fighter jets shot down

IbnOmar2005 Ibn Omar
A Doctor in Ras Lanuf who wants to talk to media now! He's saying they managed to bring down two fighter jets and the pilots were Syrian!
6 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[sasha031]

59. contact ALJ? should we tweet them

[CJvR]

61. Intresting.

Assad would certainly have an intrest in smothering the arabian revolt before the Syrians get any ideas.

[Catherina]

55. ppl of Zawiya are nothing short of heroes, God bless them 4 the phenomenal resistance

libya_Horra Libya 7orra
The people of #Zawiya are nothing short of heroes, God bless them 4 the phenomenal resistance they r putting up #Libya #Feb17 #gaddaficrimes
4 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[Catherina]

56. In declaration, Interim Transitional National Council says new constitution >>

Tom_Rayner Tom Rayner
In declaration, Interim Transitional National Council says new constitution will be based on civil&political liberties + independent jud ...
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Will someone tell these generals to quit with the declarations, the press conferences, the drilling, the teaching ppl how to salute and GTF out there and fight?

[Catherina]

58. Part 5 here

www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x564625