Libyan Civil War Megathread

[Neil]

Well I'm atomistic that they'll pull through.

If even a small proportion of the atrocity stories turn out to be true, then I think Cameron and Sarkozy  were right to intervene when they did to stop war crimes being committed in Benghazi.

That's not to say the rebels have committed summary executions, these terrible things happen in civil wars, but it seems to be the magnitude of, and deliberated nature of what the pro-Gaddafi forces have done to civilians in recent days, marks the regime out as worst offender.

Bah.  If you're under the impression that the rebels don't have a list of folks they're planning on slaughtering you're just naive.

Gaddafi's forces were absolutely right to use force against Benghazi.

[Neil]

It is nice to see something turn out the way we hoped. It is far from perfect, but it could never have happened at all without US and European intervention.

Now we have to figure out how to help make an oil rich country into a functioning democracy, or something close to it. The track record is pretty terrible.

[Zoupa]

It is nice to see something turn out the way we hoped. It is far from perfect, but it could never have happened at all without US and European intervention.

I think you mean European and US intervention.

[Neil]

It is nice to see something turn out the way we hoped. It is far from perfect, but it could never have happened at all without US and European intervention.

I think you mean European and US intervention.

Isn't it the same?

[Zoupa]

It is nice to see something turn out the way we hoped. It is far from perfect, but it could never have happened at all without US and European intervention.

I think you mean European and US intervention.

Isn't it the same?

Comme dirait mon grand-père, on fait ce qu'on peut, mais il y a la manière.

[Berkut]

It is nice to see something turn out the way we hoped. It is far from perfect, but it could never have happened at all without US and European intervention.

I think you mean European and US intervention.

Believe me, I am all for the Euroes getting shit done. I would be even happier if was just "European intervention".

[citizen k]

I would be even happier if was just "European intervention".

[Martinus]

NTC leader: 'Free elections in eight months'

Will the civil war happen before or after these elections.

I don't think Libya has a basis for a civil war. It's tribal but not sectarian. It's not Iraq.

[Martinus]

Now we have to figure out how to help make an oil rich country into a functioning democracy, or something close to it. The track record is pretty terrible.

As long as we avoid the pitfalls and horrors of Texas, the example of Alberta or Norway is mildly encouraging.

[jimmy olsen]

Given the population of the country, 50,000 is a larger number than I anticipated though

Where'd you anticipate it from, your think tank command center?

Don't bitch at me 'cause you got stuck in one for the last two days.

[11B4V]

NTC leader: 'Free elections in eight months'

Will the civil war happen before or after these elections.

I don't think Libya has a basis for a civil war. It's tribal but not sectarian. It's not Iraq.

I hope your right. I believe it when I see it.

[Tamas]

Apparently, most of Qaddafi's tribe is still fighting furiously against totally overwhelming odds. This is an indication that tribal divisions are more than enough to trigger civil war (also we have human history as an other indication for that).

As for democratizing, I was wondering about this in case of Afghanistan as well: why are we trying to enforce the exact kind of democracy the west had, which it had after half a millenia of vastly different route of advancement than them muslims? Why not try to come up with something like, say, a tribal federation, where the de facto senate would be tribal delegates or somesuch?

[Admiral Yi]

Apparently, most of Qaddafi's tribe is still fighting furiously against totally overwhelming odds. This is an indication that tribal divisions are more than enough to trigger civil war (also we have human history as an other indication for that).

As for democratizing, I was wondering about this in case of Afghanistan as well: why are we trying to enforce the exact kind of democracy the west had, which it had after half a millenia of vastly different route of advancement than them muslims? Why not try to come up with something like, say, a tribal federation, where the de facto senate would be tribal delegates or somesuch?

If the tribes are geograhically concentrated, what's the difference?

[CountDeMoney]

Given the population of the country, 50,000 is a larger number than I anticipated though

Where'd you anticipate it from, your think tank command center?

Don't bitch at me 'cause you got stuck in one for the last two days.

It's more of a lair.

[Tamas]

Apparently, most of Qaddafi's tribe is still fighting furiously against totally overwhelming odds. This is an indication that tribal divisions are more than enough to trigger civil war (also we have human history as an other indication for that).

As for democratizing, I was wondering about this in case of Afghanistan as well: why are we trying to enforce the exact kind of democracy the west had, which it had after half a millenia of vastly different route of advancement than them muslims? Why not try to come up with something like, say, a tribal federation, where the de facto senate would be tribal delegates or somesuch?

If the tribes are geograhically concentrated, what's the difference?

The traditional tribal leaderships wouldn't feel threatened?