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Gadhafi Promises "Long War," Calls Allies "New Nazis"
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 20, 2011
Modified Mar 20, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 20, 2011
Modified Mar 20, 2011
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After U.S. and European forces started an attack on Libyan loyalists yesterday, strongman leader Moammer Gadhafi gave a 15-minute speech promising a "long war," "We will fight for every square in our land. We will die as martyrs." Gadhafi also referred to the allies as "the new Nazis" and said there would be a retribution against anyone aiding them, "We will fight and we will target any traitor who is co-operating with the Americans or with the Christian Crusade." Well, would it comfort him to know that Michael Moore hates this too?
The opinionated filmmaker has been Tweeting up a storm with gems like "It's only cause we're defending the Libyan people from a tyrant! That's why we bombed the Saudis last wk! Hahaha. Pentagon=comedy," "Khadaffy must've planned 9/11! #excuses," "Khadaffy must've had WMD! #excusesthatwork," and "We've had a 'no-fly zone' over Afghanistan for over 9 yrs. How's that going? #WINNING !" He's also been listing the U.S.'s failings with Middle East policy ("Our job is 2 prop up Arab dictators (Saudi, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, etc), not overthrow them & everyone in Arab world knows it") and due to the U.S.'s firing of over 100 Tomahawk missiles at Libya, Moore also Tweeted, "May I suggest a 50-mile evacuation zone around Obama's Nobel Peace Prize? #returnspolicy"
Anyway, the U.S. is declaring success: The NY Times reports, "In a first assessment from Washington, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the first day of 'operations yesterday went very well,' news reports said. Speaking to NBC’s 'Meet the Press,' he said a no-flight zone over Libya to ground Colonel Qaddafi’s warplanes — a prime goal of the attacks — was 'effectively' in place and that a loyalist advance on the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi had been halted."
The Arab League, which supported the U.N.'s no-fly zone declaration, is criticizing the attacks; its Secretary General Amr Moussa said, "What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone, and what we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians." Per BBC News, "state department correspondent Kim Ghattas says if no Arab states participate in the no-fly zone, and there is criticism from the Arab world, the US could decide to pull out. The UK and France had also been told the Arabs would participate, she adds."
According to CNN, its reporter "Arwa Damon saw the remains of a convoy of at least 40 military vehicles destroyed by multiple airstrikes Sunday, leading charred bodies, twisted tanks and smashed trucks as far as she could see. Rebels with Damon told her it was a convoy of Libyan troops loyal to Gadhafi coming to attack the rebel capital of Benghazi." And Libyans are afraid, with one Tripoli resident saying they are "afraid to come out because when they do, [Gadhafi] attacked them very, very severely. This is putting terror in all neighborhoods."
Tagged
airstrike
libya
long war
michael moore
middle east
moammer gadhafi
new nazis
tomahawk missiles
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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