This post will pull together material on the Libyan crisis. (Libya is next door to Egypt, so it is relevant to this blog.) I am providing a chronology, not an analysis, although arguably my choice of what to read is a form of interpretation. I will pull from Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, and the New York Times. I will also add in information from the Egyptian paper Al Masry Al Youm. I will put up a new post on a weekly basis, or as needed. If you want more detail than I can give you here, check this out Al Jazeera Libya Live Blog WMB
Latest News (Updated Friday, April 1, 2011 12:00 p.m.)
On March 31, the Washington Post broke a story that the CIA gathering intelligence on Libyan rebels. The CIA is gathering intelligence on the identities and capabilities of Libyan Rebels. The Obama Administration has pledged that no Ground troops will be committed to Libya. However, the Obama Administration has not ruled out providing arms or other support to the rebels. There is mixed progress on the ground in Libya. Democracy Now reports that Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa has resigned his post and arrived in Britain. The rebels have lost control of Ras Lanuf, and Gadhafi's forces have taken Brega and Jawwad. Democracy Now also reports that a "former Nicaraguan foreign minister has been tapped as Libya’s new envoy to the United Nations. The Nicaraguan government claims to have sent a letter declaring Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann’s new role on Libya’s behalf. The 78-year-old D’Escoto has been an outspoken critic of the United States." An 18 month old civilian infant was killed in Libya by debris from Western shelling on an arms depot.
On April 1st, US Defense Secretary Gates stated in testimony to Congress that continuing coalition attacks should encourage top Libyan government officials to break with Ghadafi. According to the Washington Post, a senior European diplomat argues that what is happening in Libya is no longer a no-fly zone, it has gone beyond that. Gates stated that the Obama Administration aims to use military force to aid the Libyan opposition. A fledgling government has been formed in Libya named the Transitional National Council.
Detailed summary of February 15, 2011 until today on "read more."
