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Ear to the Ground

Libyan Rebels Look for a Cease-Fire

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Posted on Apr 1, 2011
AP / Ben Curtis

A youth waves an American flag at a rally after Friday prayers in Benghazi, Libya.

Libyan rebel fighters say they will agree to a cease-fire in their battle against Moammar Gadhafi’s forces if the government pulls its military away from opposition-held cities and allows peaceful protests against the regime.—JCL

Al-Jazeera English:

Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, head of the opposition’s interim governing council based in Benghazi, spoke during a joint press conference on Friday with Abdelilah Al-Khatib, the UN envoy. Al-Khatib is visiting the rebels’ de facto stronghold of Benghazi in hopes of reaching a political solution to the crisis embroiling the North African nation.

Abdul-Jalil said the rebels’ condition for a ceasefire is “that the Gaddafi brigades and forces withdraw from inside and outside Libyan cities to give freedom to the Libyan people to choose and the world will see that they will choose freedom”.

The UN resolution that authorised international air strikes against Libya called for Gaddafi and the rebels to end hostilities. Gaddafi announced a ceasefire immediately but has shown no sign of heeding it. His forces continue to attack rebels in the east, where the opposition is strongest, and have besieged the only major rebel-held city in the west, Misrata.

Abdul-Jalil said the regime must withdraw its forces and lift all sieges. He stressed the ultimate goal was still to oust Gaddafi.

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PatrickHenry's avatar

By PatrickHenry, April 2, 2011 at 3:09 pm Link to this comment

The ‘rebels’ will probably be burning those U.S. flags next week.

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By marianne, April 2, 2011 at 1:20 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

President Obama didn’t get ahead of the curve on the democratic revolution that was taking place in Egypt, and slow to respond on Libya three weeks ago when the rebels were in the best position to take on Tripoli and Gaddfi; although they’ve since reported that Pres Obama approve authorization (“findings”) for the CIA to help NATO target Gaddfi tanks on the ground (maybe the bungling US govt will get it right this time; the rebels need better guidance, strategy and training - not more arms). The democratic push started in Tunsia, then Egypt, is giving hope and courage for repressed peoples.  These revolutions, pushing for more economic and political reforms, would have happened sooner had the U.S. not poured billions of military aid into these dictatorial countries.  Israel is not a happy camper to all these changes because it will also mean that Israel will have to eventually come to terms with the Palestinians; it’s hard to give up the upper hand of power and double standards when you’ve enjoyed and been propped by the biggest donors of military aid and political support—that of the U.S with other Western powers.

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rico, suave's avatar

By rico, suave, April 2, 2011 at 11:21 am Link to this comment

I think the CIA told Obama that the “rebels” were a bunch of losers, so Obama told the CIA to tell the rebels that they could shove their “democratic” revolution up their asses.

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DieDaily's avatar

By DieDaily, April 2, 2011 at 12:13 am Link to this comment

Don’t do it Gadhafi, you’ve got the CIA on the run and
even Al Queada can’t effectively render it’s usual
fixer services for them now. If you wait, the US will
simply import more and more weapons and foment more and
more anarchy. You handed a million AK47’s to the
people. Nice move. Press on.

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