Archive: libya

13th May 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Following the comparatively swift exits of Ben Ali in Tunisia and Mubarak in Egypt, we now have three Arab leaders who face serious challenges to their power but are proving more much difficult to dislodge: Gaddafi in Libya, Salih in Yemen and Assad in Syria. Which of them, I wonder will be the… Read more
27th March 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Colonel Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, is touting a "transition" plan for Libya, according to the Saudi-owned newspaper, Asharq Alawsat. Saif's plan "would see him take over control of Libya from his father during a transitional period during which Libya would transform from a revolutionary state to… Read more
18th March 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
For reference purposes, I have added the text of the two most recent UN Security Council resolutions on Libya to the documents section of this website. Posted by Brian Whitaker, 18 March 2011
3rd March 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
During my first and only visit to Libya, in 2004, I came across a book entitled "Libya and the XXI Century". Since copies were on offer free of charge and the author was Gaddafi's playboy son, Saif al-Islam, I decided to take one. Inside the front cover it says:  "Taken from a University Thesis… Read more
2nd March 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
The tribal dimension in the Libyan uprising has not received much attention so far – probably because hardly anyone outside the country knows much about it. It certainly is a factor, but how big a factor is still unclear. Several recent articles cast a bit more light on the tribal situation and its… Read more
18th January 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Almanara, the Libyan opposition website whose disappearance I reported yesterday, is now back on line and saying that it was attacked by Gaddafi's security people. Al-Jazeera has a storyabout it (in Arabic). Besides declaring his support for the ousted Tunisian president, Gaddafi has also been… Read more
17th January 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Yesterday, I noted that a Libyan opposition website, Almanara, had posted videos showing disturbances in Libya during the last few days. After that, something odd happened: the website disappeared. Trying to access Almanara this morning, I simply got an error message. Conceivably this could be just… Read more
16th January 2011
By: Brian Whitaker
Just two days after the overthrow of President Ben Ali in Tunisia, videos are circulating of disturbances in neighbouring Libya. Needless to say, this is causing a good deal of excitement on Twitter. Colonel Gaddafi has been in power for almost 42 years, compared with a mere 23 for Ben Ali. In his … Read more
6th December 2010
By: Brian Whitaker
After a year's withdrawal from the political scene, Coionel Qadhafi's second-eldest son, Saif al-Islam, made a triumphant return to the spotlight in August last year with the homecoming of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. Two months later, he was appointed "Coordinator of Social… Read more
9th November 2010
By: Brian Whitaker
More signs of political in-fighting in Libya. Twenty journalists working for al-Ghad publishing company – run by Colonel Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam – have been arrested by the Internal Security Agency during the last few days, though according to AFP, the Libyan leader has now ordered their… Read more