Death Of Gaddafi
- October 21st, 2011
- Posted by EUEditor
Confirmation of the death of Muammar al Gaddafi at Sirte in Libya, 20.10.11, is accompanied by some confusion surrounding the circumstances.
The interim Prime Minister of Libya, Mahmoud Jibril, told journalists the former head of government had been found in a concrete culvert, as his opponents over-ran a position where he was making a last stand with supporters.
He had been wounded, but was taken away alive in a vehicle, which was caught in cross-fire – Gaddafi then being shot in the head.
See video, Al Jazeera, Doha,”Muammar Gaddafi Dead by pundi0009″, 20.10.11.
http://news.google.com.au/nwshp?hl=en&tab=wn&q=gaddafi, (21.10.11).
Whatever the full story of the case may be, the death puts an end to the regime initiated with a young officers’ coup in 1969.
Libya was caught up in the wave of protest last year that unseated, or destabilised a chain of governments in the Middle East, so that by February, the Gaddafi government was deploying its army, and reportedly gangs of mercenary soldiers, to put down opposition.
It was long reviled by Western governments for its support of terrorists, and in March the NATO alliance intervened, organising air cover for the armed opposition – in effect turning around the battle and guaranteeing the fall of the regime.
The latest NATO communiqué, 19.10.11, lists 26,089 air sorties, including 9,618 strike sorties (reconnaissance or air attacks) carried out since 31.3.11, and in a sea blockade, the hailing of 3084 vessels, with 296 boardings.
For the extremely uncertain future, the country of Libya has the ambivalent “black curseâ€, abundant oil resources, rich enough that under Gaddafi, with his land reforms and welfare programs, literacy and services such as health care were better than in neighbouring states.
Outside of Libya there is talk of new reckoning for acts of terror.
The bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland, four days before Christmas in 1988 (picture, wreckage), was tracked to agents of Gaddafi.
In Ireland, victims of IRA attacks using arms supplied by Tripoli have begun moves to seeks compensation from the successor government.
LIBYA COUNT-DOWN
See, EUAustralia Online, selected posts:
- Tough week in Libya Battle, 30.9.11
- Libya denouement, 25.8.11
- NATO backs rebel push on Tripoli, 22.8.11
- Libyan action consolidated under NATO, 28.3.11
- UN decision on Libya, 18.3.11
- Libya” watching a blood-bath? 5.3.11
- World against Gaddafi, 28.2.11
Reference
Peter Beaumont, “Muammar Gaddafi: How did he die?”, The Guardian, Manchester, 20.10.11.http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/20/gaddafi-how-did-he-die?newsfeed=true, (21.10.11).
North Atlantic Treaty Orfganisation (NATO), Brussels, “NATO and Libya:Operational Media Update for 19 October 2011”, 20.10.11. www.jfcnaples.nato.int,(21.10.10).
UKPA, London, “IRA payouts hope over Gaddafi death”, 21.10.11. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5isLhpoLL96Ic64FpuGuK4T47gdnQ?docId=N0191891319126650678A, (21.10.11).
Pictures   Wikipedia