Though exactly how accurate the reports coming out of cities witnessing heavy fighting are, the Gadhafi regime is claiming major victories tonight following a day of counter-offensives across a number of key cities.
The attacks are seen as the first real setback for the rebels, who have mostly fended of Gadhafi mercenary attacks in comparatively short order and have made considerable inroads into western cities which were the last strongholds of the regime.
At the same time, the regime’s spokesmen are making extremely dubious proclamations about how successful the counter-offensive is, claiming that they have reconquered virtually the entire nation and that the rallies in Benghazi, the rebel capital, are “celebrations” for the regime’s victory.
Which was rejected by the rebels, and seems to contradict journalists on the ground in Benghazi, who report that the constant rallies are, as ever, pro-rebel and celebrating the ouster of the regime, not its alleged return.
Either way, there is increasing concern that Libya is facing the sort of protracted civil war that is all too common in Africa, and not the quick regime change its neighbors in Tunisia and Egypt were able to secure. The biggest question seems to be how long Gadhafi’s money will last, as the regime is mostly depending on mercenaries at this point, and is reported to be paying them extremely generously.
Cpl. Jordan R. Stanton, of Ranchero Santa Margarita, Calif., died March 4 during combat operations in Helmand Province Afghanistan. AntiWar had previously reported this incident over the weekend as a NATO casualty from a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Mark C. Wells, 31, of San Jose Calif.died March 5 in Helmand province, Afghanistan from an insurgent IED attack. This is the first revelation of cause of death in Helmand by the DOD that I have seen.
Tommauel: Our condolences to their family.., In regard to Libya.., and no fly zoon which is suggested by France and England and USG saying that the “military action is possible” is what was on the table starting the Iraq and occupation of Iraq, here no fly zoon was introduced by US and implemented by British, Tony Blair government and France was the follower.., this time the same idea have resurfaced and if it pass the UN then what they are trying to do is to shoot down every plain and every military hardware that are moved by the Libyan military.., the Iraq isolation started with no fly zoon which resulted in 14 years of bombardment of Iraqi infrastructures, here the US and EU looking to do the same to Libyan by isolating the country at first and destroying what the country have.