Posts Tagged ‘revolution’
One headline grabbed our attention immediately: “Gaddafi: ‘My People Would Die for Me’”
Considering the news of all that violence and killing going on in his country, maybe that’s really what Gaddafi thinks is going on. Talk about delusional!
Gaddafi sat down with Christiane Amanpour for an interview and explained that he won’t be leaving Libya anytime soon, while also insisting that it’s the will of the people that keeps him in power. Clearly, he doesn’t know what’s going on outside his own window. (Actually, he does seem to be in total denial of all of those protests.)
Seems like Gaddafi wants some US support since he blames the craziness in the Libyan streets on al Qaeda and hallucinogenic drugs, but listening to Secretary of State Clinton, Gaddafi could be getting just the opposite.
Clinton spoke up yesterday to let the international community know that “nothing is off the table” when it came to that situation, and that the US military is ready to do what needs to be done in Libya.
Anything can happen at this point, it seems! We’re keeping an eye out…
Other than the burning parliament and resilient protesters in Libya…
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake rocks New Zealand,
U.S. Democratic-leaning states are now fewer in number,
and will we recognize our own planet in 40 years?
It’s hard to know where to start with the uprising in Libya.
Since the Libyan”day of rage” last week (February 17), tensions have dramatically escalated in the North African nation (which shares its eastern border with Egypt).
After 42 years under the regime of Colonel Gaddafi (or Kadaffi, Quadafi, Gaddaffi, Kaddifi, Qaddafi… see our post on that matter here), the Libyan people have grown restless.
Why? Because of (what else?) government corruption, extremely high unemployment (like, 30%), and Libyan oil money that doesn’t find its way to the nation’s people or infrastructure.
Libya also has a very young population, and these guys have lost faith in their government. (I mean, democracy would help with that, but Gaddafi isn’t such a fan.)
The mainstream media was slow to embrace this story. The fact that the Libyan government has blacked out channels of communication didn’t help.
When Gaddafi started using mercenaries and the air force to attack demonstrators, the Internet started bursting at the seams with tweets, blog posts, and video of the massacre. (That word is not an overstatement!)
While Egypt and Tunisia’s uprisings brought about regime change, there is reason to be concerned that Libya’s leadership won’t go down so quickly.
Gaddafi’s son, Seif Gaddafi, took to the airwaves (as reported here by The Atlantic) to give an alarming indication of the relentless assault the government will wage against its protesting people:
“We will not lose one inch of this land,” he warned. “We will flight to the last man and woman and bullet.” His father, he said is “leading the battle” and will hold on to power “by any means necessary.” He echoed the same vague, hollow promises made by Egypt’s Mubarak and Tunisia’s Ben Ali, adding, in the dramatic and menacing flair his father has honed for decades, a threat. “We will tomorrow create a new Libya. We can agree on a new national anthem, new flag, new Libya. Or be prepared for civil war.”
Gaddafi is flaunting his continued presence in the nation’s capital, Tripoli, calling news stations reporting that he has fled “dogs.”
Gaddafi in Tripoli. Courtesy of Libyan state TV.
No word yet on what the U.S. will do in response, except that Secretary Clinton has joined in the international conversation condemning Gaddafi and his treatment of the people.
The Washington Post reports that the U.S. must step carefully here, because it does not have the “leverage” of a strong relationship with Libya to influence the outcome.
The situation in Libya is changing by the hour and you can keep up-to-date on the goings-on at Al Jazeera English’s live blog or with the UN Dispatch’s recommended Twitter accounts for reliable news. This great Mother Jones article has helped keep us in the loop on the background of the conflict and is updating regularly as well.
We will keep you informed.
Oh, Egypt. You’re such a trendsetter.
The successful revolution in Egypt which forced long term leader, Hosni Mubarak, out of power is now being replicated in several different countries.
We told you about the fire of revolution spreading around the Middle East a few days ago, but it’s not limited to just the desert anymore.
One of the latest countries to toss its hat into the revolutionary ring is China. After a website called for protests in 13 cities in China, the police have cracked down on political activists- before the protests even started.
The protests that were supposed to happen never did. Political analysts say it’s because of China’s immensely powerful and organized police force and censorship system. China has since erased all online discussion of revolution or protests, with President Hu Jintao calling for stricter censorship.
OK, so, Iran is pretty much taking over the news, and we at USDemocrazy are pretty much captivated.
That said, we’re bringing you more on Iran because, frankly folks, the situation just keeps getting more interesting.
If you somehow missed what’s going on (we get it, you were on vacation in Siberia), let us fill you in.
Vote fraud, religious leaders in conflict, civil unrest, protest violence… Iran has it all. What’s more, these historic times are being witnessed in the most revolutionary way. This Iranian revolution, with all its exciting, electrifying, and terrifying action, is being live-blogged, vlogged, photographed, Facebooked, and, yes, Twittered.
Both Facebook and Google have responded to the crisis in there own way. After complaints, both introduced Persian (the language of Iran) as a translating option on their sites. This revolution forced both web giants to step up their international and multilingual game, and fast.
The Atlantic put together a list of important “tweets” on Iran, for those who can’t spend all day by their Twitter. (Though maybe that is recommended, lest we all miss something!) These include eye-witness accounts and other interesting tidbits, including:
one protester: ‘it’s really sad, ppl getting killed, we don’t have proper leadership’
Police reports they arrested 475 people yesterday
Hearing reports that Basij stormed Tehran University dorms at 2 am last night, students had barricaded themselves in. UNCONF
Twitter, and the rest of the Internet, has been crucial in this election due to the aforementioned protests, arrests (of protestors and journalists alike), and banning of foreign journalists from witnessing some of the action on the ground. With regular people being able to tweet and tell what has been going down, and what the next step for the country is.
President Obama stated that Iran is under intense scrutiny from the rest of the world, and that the violence needs to stop.
The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.
An op-ed by Robin Wright in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times indicated that this so-called revolution in Iran won’t be terribly revolutionary after all:
The largely silent street demonstrations by day and haunting chants echoing across rooftops by night are not — so far — a counterrevolution. That’s not even their intention. What they are doing, however, is forcing Iran’s Islamic regime to face the same ideals that have swept across five continents over the last quarter of a century — the supremacy of popular will, justice, accountability and the transparency of power.
Before we start rambling on too long about what is going in Iran, we’ll stop and direct you to the best places on the web with the most important information so you can inform yourselves. We’ve all got a feeling this is something we’re going to want to remember, so we’re learning all we can…
The Daily Beast at its best, wrangling all the great info on the crisis.
How does the opposition, Mousavi, feel amongst the turmoil?
Is this the end for the supreme leader?!
The riot police make themselves known.
