The headline reads “interim [Libyan] ruler unveils more radical than expected plans for Islamic law.” There’s that word again: expected. But those who thought they knew what to expect in Libya were either arrogant or daft, or both. And one … Continue reading →
It’s hard to escape the grisly death photos and videos of Gaddafi. A flamboyant figure who was photographed often during his long and very public life, his well-earned enemies have made sure that his death has been especially well-documented, too. … Continue reading →
We’re getting conflicting reports, but something seems to be going on in Libya with Gaddafi. He appears to have been either captured or killed: National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters earlier that Gaddafi was captured and wounded … Continue reading →
This should come as absolutely no surprise. And yet it seems to have done so, for a bunch of nameless “U.S. officials”: U.S. officials had once thought there was little chance that terrorists could get their hands on many of … Continue reading →
Caroline Glick assesses the situation in Egypt in light of the recent mob attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo. The crowd was prevented from killing six Israeli security officers only because the military leaders of Egypt, who had been … Continue reading →
David Warren makes some spot-on observations on why the reporting from Libya has been so unreliable: The issue is not crude bias. It is, so far as I am able to understand, the compounded effect of two large factors. Journalists … Continue reading →
I would take this news with a huge block of salt. Now, this I’m rather inclined to believe: In an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, Mr al-Hasidi admitted that he had recruited “around 25” men from … Continue reading →
Gaddafi’s son Saif surfaces unexpectedly: Saif’s arrest had been reported both by rebels and the International Criminal Court in The Hague and his appearance before the foreign media raised questions as to the rebels’ credibility. Ya think? And this from … Continue reading →
I was going to write a post about the second anniversary of Lockerbie bomber al Megrahi’s release, commenting on my lack of surprise at his continued existence despite the initial prediction that he had only three months to live. Meanwhile, … Continue reading →
The rebels claim to control Tripoli (80%? 95%?). Although Gaddafi’s forces fight on in a few areas, the flamboyant dictator himself is nowhere to be seen, and two of his sons have reportedly been captured. President Obama exhorts: The surest … Continue reading →
It would appear that the Gaddafi forces are collapsing, although it’s impossible to know for sure. It also appears that, as so often is this case in these situations, the turning point may have come when Gaddafi couldn’t motivate his … Continue reading →
Obama’s Middle East speech (full text here) pays lip service to Assad of Syria needing to reform or quit, support for more rights for the Iranian people, and giving Egypt a financial break. I can’t quite imagine either Assad or … Continue reading →