On the same day that NATO officially declared mission accomplished, rival armed gangs had a four hour shoot-out with heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft cannon outside of Tripoli's main hospital.
Seems that one of the militia's wanted to enter the hospital to finish off someone whom they'd wounded earlier. Up until recently, "finishing off" a wounded opponent in hospital was war-crime material. NATO's freedom fighters aren't having any of that.
When they arrived, they were denied entry by the one of the rival militias, and the fireworks began. Notwithstanding that fact that the NTC has been pleading with the militias to turn over their weapons and return to civilian life, none of the militias have done so.
Ironically the gun battle was on going as the NTC announced a new interim leader, one Abdel-Rahim al-Keeb. al-Keeb spent many years "studying" right here in America, just a few hours down the road from CIA headquarters.
That would seem to put him at odds with some of the other worthies who have floated to the top in the toxic stew that is Libya today. Like one Abdelhakim Belhadj, who is now the military boss of Tripoli. Belhadj spent a few years being "studied" by the CIA, while he was an Al Qaeda suspect, at various CIA black-op sites in south Asia. Can't imagine that he and his boys will be heeding the call to turn in their weapons.
Fortunately, both sides demonstrated the same marksmanship and general military prowess we've been seeing on our evening newscasts for the last eight months. After a four hour gun battle, with many thousands of rounds fired off in the general direction of their opponents, the outcome was two dead and seven injured.
That wounded guy they came to finish off? Still there; he'll be fine.
No comments:
Post a Comment