Libya - Latest Updates Part II ( Archived) (937)

Tunisia and Egypt didn't happen either?

Fear and Fireworks: Getting to the Truth in Gaddafi's Libya
Time.com



Vivienne Walt / Zawiyah – Thu Mar 10, 4:45 am ET

After a vicious six-day battle against rebel forces, Muammar Gaddafi's military on Wednesday might have retaken finally crushed the critical oil-refinery town of Zawiyah, in a fight which has killed scores of a few people and wounded hundreds an unknown number of others.

Who can tell what happened in Zawiyah's lethal war this past week? Certainly not me, nor the 120 or so other foreign journalists currently in the Libyan capital Tripoli, who have been invited by Gaddafi's regime to tell its side of the story. (See exclusive photos of rebels fighting Gaddafi.)

For a week, the government's press handlers have forbidden journalists from traveling the 30 miles to the fighting - and several who tried to sneak off to Zawiyah unofficially have been arrested, with one BBC television crew severely assaulted by security forces (more on that below). Three times our handlers loaded us into vans and a coach bus, telling us they were taking us to Zawiyah, only to change their minds. Then at about 11.30 p.m. on Wednesday night, they bundled about 40 of us into vans and tore off towards Zawiyah at a death-defying 110 miles an hour. They assured us that the military had routed from the town all the al-Qaeda fighters, whom Gaddafi insists have instigated Libya's three-week revolt.

Around midnight we pulled into Zawiyah's soccer stadium. As we clambered out, there were two loud explosions on the field, followed by several smaller ones, which sent many of us ducking for cover. But no, these were not signs of combat - remember, Zawiyah's battle is ostensibly over. It was a fireworks display set up on the soccer field, a victory party for about 200 residents gathered on the stands, wrapped in Gaddafi-green scarves and chanting their love for the leader, while the state-run Libyan Television filmed the celebration - as well as the sight of foreign journalists covering it. "The citizens and the soldiers worked together to kick out the troublemakers," said Ayman Kikly, a 29-year-old soldier in camouflage. "[The rebels] had heavy weapons with RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades] and some anti-aircraft weapons."
That did not square with the message from other residents, who told us that the rebels were easily defeated, with none of Gaddafi's soldiers killed and little loss of life to the other side (though no one could explain where the surviving rebels had gone.) "The houses have no destruction," said Abdul Khalek Harari, 20, yelling over the blasts of the fireworks. "The troublemakers blocked roads and burned tires, so that's the only damage you see."

So what did happen in Zawiyah, where fighting has closed Libya's second-biggest refinery and all mobile-phone connections have been blocked since March 3?

By March 5, the town's central square already "was reminiscent of Mogadishu," Somalia's war-torn capital, says Martin Fletcher, a veteran correspondent for The Times of London, who snuck into Zawiyah that day. He says he saw evidence of widespread attacks against civilians. "There were 20 graves in the middle of the square. The streets were littered with burning and burned cars. Apartment buildings were riddled with bullet and mortar holes. We were ferried around by rebels in an ambulance with a bullet hole in it." Doctors told Fletcher that during the three previous days, 30 people had been killed and about 70 injured..........Read on at Link

The AFP is the French Government's news agency and certainly isn't able to zip around inside Libya talking to rebels and then transmitting its reports out of the country, seeing that France is the only country that recognizes the "rebels" as the government of Libya.

With the nation under siege, you can bet foreign reporters are not allowed to just "do their thing" in Libya.

So just how are all these detailed, English language "latest news flashes" getting out every day?

My guess is that they are simply fabricated by western intelligence or news agencies.

I seriously doubt if there really are any real "rebels" at all.
There may be a handful of paid insurgents and provocateurs.

It's all part of the propaganda project to justify yet another massive military invasion and occupation.

In Vietnam, it was the totally fictive Gulf of Tonkin incident.
In Iraq 1, it was the fictive stealing of incubators by the Iraqis.
In Iraq 2, it was fictive yellow-cake and WMDs.
In Afghanistan, it was the fictive Al Qaeda terrorist army.

Every invasion has to be justified somehow.