quote:

NATO‘s targets on the 26th of April.
In vicinity of Misurata: 6 military vehicles, 7 technical vehicles and 1 surface-to-air missile launcher.

In the vicinity of Al-Khums: 4 Tanks; 2 Heavy Equipment Transporter trucks.

In the vicinity of Brega: 1 rocket launchers; 3 military vehicles.

In the vicinity of Mizdah: 8 ammunition bunkers.

Cable Guy posted:

The report you quoted had a correction added:


Wouldn't surprise me if it was vetoed in the Security Council before it got to the Assembly... wouldn't surprise me at all.

stereobreadsticks posted:

quote:

Because of anti-communist sentiment at the start of the Cold War, the Republic of China was initially recognized as the sole legitimate government of China by the United Nations and most Western nations. On January 9, 1950, the Israeli government extended recognition to the People's Republic of China. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 505, passed on February 1, 1952 considered the Chinese communists to be rebels against the Republic of China. However, the 1970s saw a switch in diplomatic recognitions from the ROC to the PRC. On 25 October 1971, Resolution 2758 was passed by the UN General Assembly, which "decides to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it." Multiple attempts by the Republic of China to rejoin the UN, no longer to represent all of China but just the people of the territories it governs, have not made it past committee, largely due to diplomatic maneuvering by the PRC, which claims Resolution 2758 has settled the matter.

quote:

The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Republic of India, Pakistan and Japan have formally adopted the One China policy, under which the People's Republic of China is theoretically the sole legitimate government of China. However, the United States and Japan acknowledge rather than recognize the PRC position that Taiwan is part of China.

quote:

Rebels in Misrata, Libya claim they are within days of forcing Gaddafi's troops from the city, Xan Rice reports.

At a press conference they used Google Earth images to show they had forced back their opponents to very edges off city, Xan says in a Audioboo report.

quote:

They show that they have forced Gaddafi forces to an area around the airport and the southern edge of the city and then quite far away on the western side - appearing to show they control the vast majority of the city. Within a few they expect to clear Gaddafi's forces from all of the city...

They have managed to cut off the Gaddafi forces' supply lines. In the course of a few days of frenetic fighting they killed a lot of Gaddafi forces, and captured a lot, and sustained a lot of losses themselves. There is essentially a stalemate. Gaddafi's forces are on the very edge of the city and there's no fighting that I've seen today.

I don't think they are exaggerating what they have achieved. Where there is a bit of bluster is when they talk about marching on Tripoli very soon.

There is just the occasional barrage of missiles [in the distance]. But there is certainly no heavy fighting, and everyone is sitting around waiting to see what next.

schadenfraud's friend posted:

we are under seige some friends got killed some got arrested and my best friend was the last we were living in very bad situation ..basically anyone in the streets at the weekend will be arrested and also they are going after all youths attacking homes at night kidnapping them, stealing money and all. Those are both gheddafi forces and some criminals who were released and bribed by gheddafi so from his cell to have much money and weapons..why wouldnt they fight for him? anyway ..we were under pressure no sms no internet local media liyng about us.. false calls to even fake drama they produce some fake clips to support their propaganda

...

i had to run out to tunisia to speak the word i'm the spokesman for the rebels i'm about to send a speech for aljazeera waiting for the second..it will take another volunteer to take the risk to come here though! also another problem i have family there so i will not be able to use my name nor my face so i can't go out to media i so need to serve th cause in pefect way but i don't wish to put my family in danger! ppl in tripoli are so so angry we couldnt do nothing but the graffiti war we write they cover up and write pro ..we cover and write against also rising the real flag but we faced troubles for example we had managed to get to school last week and we put the flag in the highes point in some mobile station anttena was on the roof of the school the next day they arrested the administrator of the school and old lady so we felt so bad we caused this. Also another point i wish the unisef do something the bastard is using kids and forcing them for pro demos or they and their family will be arrested.


i can't believe there r anyone with gheddafi..now ppl in tripoli is so with ground troops they all said we will fight alongside anyone be it an american against gheddafi.

i don't trust americans they have very bad rep out there in iraq or anywhere, but believe me hitler is nothing compared to this mad dictator - rape has become a good way to punish the rebels or the demostrators as we in tripoli are still unarmed and still a demonstartors. Iman al ubaidi case has given them more green light to rape, stealing, killing anyone, kids got their fingers cut for writing, young girls got beaten up by her teacher for refusing to raise the green flag. they terrorised kids, used them in pro demo they have no respect for human being!! trust me we shall fight alongside anyone against gheddafi. in fact it's great chance for american and british troops to prove that iraq was a mistake, but they should leave libya as soon as their job ends taking out gheddafi is the best for all. i know of some thinking of sucide as they hated their lives.. it's like big prison .. palestinians or even iraqis haven't seen like this hell .. gheddafi used every sneaky dirty way to kill punish destroy his OWN ppl!

BRICS too much condemnation for nato strikes but no loving word to gheddafi killing machine? what a pricks! ... i hate it when someone says that..also from fellow arabs when they critisize the western intervention ..and bla bla while they are sitting on their arses watching gheddafi murdering all libyans!

Slantedfloors posted:

Coincidentally, the question of recognizing Palestinian statehood will be going up to vote at the UN soon at the General Assembly, not the Security Council. The US will have no veto to stop it, and the main supporters are stating the unless Israel makes some immediate concessions and starts dealing in good faith, the 1967 border will be considered the starting point.

Interesting days, these.

quote:

"A Diplomatic Memo article last Sunday, about the growing possibility that, even without an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, the United Nations General Assembly might approve a resolution in September granting statehood to Palestinians on Israeli-controlled land referred incompletely to the options available to the United States for blocking such a resolution. It has no veto power in the General Assembly, as the article stated, but such a resolution would first require a recommendation from the Security Council, where the United States could exercise a veto."

Jut posted:

sounds good, but from the bottom of that article


And *if* the GA vote goes ahead and is successful, it is the UNSC who will have to approve action against Israel if they refuse to abide by the GA resolution.

schadenfraud posted:

My friend, who I posted messages from on here right at the beginning has finally been in contact and revealed he is safe and well (update below). There's a lot of criticism regarding the UN intervention in Libya, particularly from groups like Stop the War coalition in the UK and from some of the smaller political parties, but I really feel that the desires of the Libyan people are not being taken into account by the various anti campaigns. Every message from Libya I have read, not just from my mate, has pleaded for intervention on the part of the international community. For the various groups against it, it just seems like they're putting ideology before reality.

Cable Guy posted:

We're already on top of that one... or getting to the bottom of it. (Top of page)

Brown Moses posted:

I hope your friend survives this and gets to see a democratic Libya and Gaddafi and his family either dead or in a prison cell.

quote:

Video: GRAD missile attack on #Misrata 27.04.11 - GRAD contain 'STRANGE LIQUID that burns for a long time'

quote:

Representatives of countries with which the UK has normal diplomatic relations have been invited to the wedding. An invitation does not mean endorsement or approval of the behaviour of any government, simply that we have normal diplomatic relations with that country. In the light of this week's attacks against civilians by the Syrian security forces, which we have condemned, the Foreign Secretary has decided that the presence of the Syrian Ambassador at the Royal Wedding would be unacceptable and that he should not attend. Buckingham Palace shares the view of the Foreign Office that it is not considered appropriate for the Syrian Ambassador to attend the wedding.

schadenfraud posted:

Me too, although he has been lucky enough to make it into Tunisia. I worry about his family though, as they are still trapped in Tripoli.

Brown Moses posted:

I can't view the video, but could GRAD missile have warheads containing any sort of liquid, or is it just rebel confusion?

Jut posted:

yea, my bad, should have read the rest of the updates before posting:(

Jut posted:

...if the GA vote goes ahead and is successful [whatever it is], it is the UNSC who will have to approve action against Israel if they refuse to abide by the GA resolution.

schadenfraud posted:

My friend, who I posted messages from on here right at the beginning has finally been in contact and revealed he is safe and well...

Brown Moses posted:

I hope your friend survives this and gets to see a democratic Libya and Gaddafi and his family either dead or in a prison cell.

schadenfraud posted:

Me too, although he has been lucky enough to make it into Tunisia. I worry about his family though, as they are still trapped in Tripoli.

quote:

Libyan rebels defending Zintan southwest of Tripoli have pushed back forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi who had blasted the town with rockets.

An AFP team in the town late on Wednesday witnessed rebels firing off celebratory salvos into the night as a NATO warplane flew overhead.

After intense fire between the two sides in the afternoon with anti-aircraft guns being used, the insurgents moved toward the pro-Gaddafi lines on neighbouring hills and the government forces finally withdrew to a village held by a friendly tribe.

At least 20 Grad rockets struck Zintan, three of which crashed near the hospital, damaging the parking area, the main gate and the entrance to emergency services as well as four nearby houses, a witness said.

quote:

Following are the latest available details of military activity in Libya:

* The United States took steps to throw a financial lifeline to rebels controlling eastern Libya while forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi focused their firepower on pockets of resistance in the west.

* Rebels said Gaddafi's forces fired Russian-made Grad rockets, which rights groups say should not be used in civilian areas, at the rebel-held western towns of Misurata and Zintan, following NATO strikes to free Misurata's port.

* Remoter areas of western Libya also came under fire from forces loyal to the Libyan leader, who is trying to break the uprising against his four-decade rule that has put most of the east in rebel hands since it began in mid-February.

* Gaddafi's forces clashed with rebels in the desert town of Kufra in Libya's remote southeast, Al Jazeera has learned.

* Seven rebel fighters in the city of Misurata were killed overnight when government forces hit their checkpoint with artillery fire and rockets, a local doctor said.

* Russia is not planning to request an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss what Moscow has called Western aggression in Libya, Itar-TASS news agency quoted a foreign ministry official as saying on Thursday.

* NATO conducted 119 sorties on Wednesday, with 41 intended as strike missions. NATO defines strike sorties as missions intended to identify and engage targets, but which do not always involve the use of munitions.

It said targets included:

- One communications facility, two vehicle storage buildings and one surface-to-air missile storage facility near Tripoli;

- Two rocket launchers, two artillery vehicles and one armoured personnel carrier in the vicinity of Misurata;

- Seven ammunition storage bunkers near Mizdah;

- Twelve ammunition storage bunkers near Sirte.

* Wednesday's missions brought the total number of sorties conducted by NATO since it took command of western operations on March 31 to 4,100. A total of 1,699 strike sorties were conducted.

* Nineteen ships under NATO command are actively patrolling the central Mediterranean Sea. Twenty vessels were hailed on Wednesday to determine destination and cargo. Two boardings were conducted but no vessels were diverted.

* A total of 682 vessels have been hailed, 20 boardings and five diversions have been conducted since the beginning of arms embargo operations.

Warbadger posted:

Not really, given the lack of substantiation for the genocide claims. Coincidentally bordering Georgia is another previously autonomous region named Chechnya. A shame the Chechens weren't afforded the same support for their independence movement for some strange reason.

quote:

"We forgive them" a 20-year-old survivor of a Nato airstrike which killed 12 rebels in Misrata yesterday, told Xan Rice.

In an Audioboo report Xan said:

quote:

A group of about 15 rebels gathered in the desert near the port. They were just hanging around next to a small building near the salt factory at about five in the afternoon when out of sky came bombs. The survivors say it was Nato. They say it was a bomb unlike anything else they had heard before. Twelve of the 15 were dead straight away.

They [the rebels] were pretty keen on playing it down. One of the chaps who survived, a 20-year-old guy called Ahmed Swayzi, who I just visited in hospital straightaway 'we forgive them. We know it was a mistake and we just want them to keep hitting Gaddafi's forces'. He said the day before Nato had struck a lot of Gaddafi's vehicles in the vicinity... This was about 15km out of town.

This chap said they had marked their vehicles in a certain way, apparently on orders from Nato. That obviously didn't work in this case.

Warthog posted:

Previously autonomous region? like all the other "Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics"
Or do you mean "autonomous region" like the Not Just Yet United State of Afghanistan?

quote:

Kufra: These Gaddafi forces are said to be cars that sneaked to Tazirbu from Jalu and Brega, after NATO bombed some of them

quote:

Kufra: 40 cars equipped with AA guns/missile launchers entered the city and 35 are surrounding it, with help from 5th column/traitors

quote:

Kufra: These cars burnt the city's court which was a small "command centre" for the revolutionaries & are arresting citizens randomly

quote:

Nalut/Wazin: Reports that 20 Gaddafi 4x4s and jeeps are attempting to cut the road between the border crossing and Nalut

Warbadger posted:

In the Soviet era when it functioned as an autonomous oblast, after it declared sovereignty in 1990, or after the Soviet military signed a peace treaty with the Chechen government in the mid 1990s following the first Chechen war?

quote:

Forces loyal to Gaddafi shelled rebel positions around the Dehiba-Wazin border crossing with Tunisia today, according to a cameraman for the Reuters news agency.

Some of the artillery rounds appeared to have landed on the Tunisian side.

quote:

BREAKING! Mohammed Al Bagali (Aljazeera reporter) is injurd due 2 Gaddafis militias attack on #Wazin near the Tunisian border.

quote:

5 revolutionaries injured in this afternoon's clashes and reports that they killed some Gaddafi mercenaries

Darth123123 posted:

So what is the mark that the rebels are putting on their vehicles per NATO instructions? I remember during the Iraq invasion we used a sideways/upside down V or something. But in this long and protracted engagement, wouldn't it be easy for Gaffy to replicate? I really wonder how a pilot is to identify cars containing loyalists versus rebels whilst flying at 700mph.

quote:

More bad news for Syria. The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has said for the first time that a target destroyed by Israeli warplanes in the Syrian desert five years ago was a covertly built nuclear reactor. This is AP's report.

quote:

Previous reports by the IAEA have suggested that the structure hit could have been a nuclear reactor. Thursday's comments by IAEA chief Yukiya Amano were the first time the agency has said so unequivocally.

"The facility that was ... destroyed by Israel was a nuclear reactor under construction," he asked in response to a question from The Associated Press, repeating to the AP afterward: "It was a reactor under construction."

Israel has never publicly commented on the strike or even acknowledged carrying it out. The US has shared intelligence with the agency that identifies the structure as a nearly completed nuclear reactor that, if finished, would have been able to produce plutonium for the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

quote:

Gaddafi's forces have now taken the Dehiba-Wazin border crossin, with the conflict spilling into Tunisia. Fighting broke out in the Tunisian town of Dehiba after the crossing was attacked, Reuters is reporting.

Jut posted:

sounds good, but from the bottom of that article


And *if* the GA vote goes ahead and is successful, it is the UNSC who will have to approve action against Israel if they refuse to abide by the GA resolution.

Pureauthor posted:

I really don't get the 'firing guns as a method of celebration' thing.

THE HORSES rear end posted:

Call me crazy, but I am 100% certain the United States would abstain, and 30% sure that we might even vote in favor of a Palestinian state.

And there are plenty of ways to punish Israel without resorting to the security council. The GA recognizing Palestine might just be the final push that the majority of sane Israelis need to get their hands dirty and take care of the settlements.

THE HORSES rear end posted:

Call me crazy, but I am 100% certain the United States would abstain, and 30% sure that we might even vote in favor of a Palestinian state.

And there are plenty of ways to punish Israel without resorting to the security council. The GA recognizing Palestine might just be the final push that the majority of sane Israelis need to get their hands dirty and take care of the settlements.

Pureauthor posted:

I really don't get the 'firing guns as a method of celebration' thing.

Warthog posted:

The Autonomous Oblast - 1922-36 under Stalin... I think we both agree, that doesn't count - everything was "autonomous" in that time.
Since 1990, Chechen republic of Ichkeria recognized by... oh The Taliban in Afghanistan only (and the Chechen's didn't even want that recognition).

quote:

Four men were sentenced to death in Bahrain in connection with the killing of two police officers during anti-government protests, the Gulf kingdom's official news agency said Thursday.

The agency named them as Ali Al Sankees, Abdulaziz Hussain, Qassim Mattar and Saeed Abduljaleel. The Wefaq opposition party said all were 20 or 21 years old.

An additional three men were sentenced to life in prison, former Wefaq lawmaker Sayed Hadi Al Mosawi told CNN, naming them as Isa Ali, Sayed Sadiq Mahdi and Hussain Abdulkareem.

The defendants all have two weeks to appeal, he said.

All seven of them pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Wefaq criticized their trial when it began April 17, warning that it was being conducted by a special tribunal operating under emergency law instead of a normal criminal court. The opposition party also said lawyers had not been given enough time to prepare their defense.

The strategically important kingdom and United States ally has been under a state of emergency since the middle of March, following huge anti-government protests similar to those that have swept across much of the Arab world.