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Old 04-30-2011, 06:14 PM   #1
Jill
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Breaking News: Gadhafi's son killed by NATO forces

NATO strike 'kills Saif al-Arab Gaddafi', Libya says

OMG, this is horrible news. I was sincerely pinning my hopes on Saif being the one to help negotiate a cease fire and convince his father to step down. He came out recently with very vehement words in support of his father, but I believe he was working "behind the scenes" to find a way out of this mess for everyone involved.
"They are looking for a way out," said the source. "It makes sense for Libya if there is a good exit [for Gaddafi]. What I understand they are saying is that the sons want to continue playing a political role [after the regime has fallen] by having their own party.

"They would accept an interim government and a transition period. What they will not accept is being forced to leave the country. It is what Saif has been working [on]. It is about getting the sides to sit down together and talk and also about having an exit strategy that is not insulting to Gaddafi: that leaves him but without power. That's what Saif is fighting for."

It is precisely this plan, the source confirmed, that Muhammad Ismail, Saif's senior aide and fixer, is said to have presented during a confidential visit to London last month where he met British officials.

The proposal, however, has been rejected emphatically not only by Libya's rebels but by western governments – the UK prominent among them – which insist on the departure of Gaddafi and his sons.

But questions remain. Is Saif the bellicose son of a tyrant, the would-be reformer educated at the London School of Economics, or something in-between?

Houni believes Saif was in earnest about his desire to reform the regime, before he made the decision to adopt his father's hard line.

"It is complicated. Saif was serious. Now [after that speech] no one in Libya takes what he has to say seriously any more. No one will accept what he has to offer. He spent five years trying to bring about change but his father would not have it. He might want to talk about negotiations but it isn't possible."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...i-libya-reform
His death is a tragic blow for all sides. Ugh.
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Old 04-30-2011, 07:23 PM   #2
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I'm sure he was as full of shit as his father. Not for nothing but I called pam as being a troll after his/her first post. I have a highly refined and sensiteve BS detector. But there was this one time at tranny band camp...
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Old 04-30-2011, 08:16 PM   #3
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LOL! You're too funny, footfootfoot.
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Old 04-30-2011, 10:55 PM   #4
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Okay, I feel kind of stupid. I have just been informed that there are 2 sons named Saif. It is the older one, Saif al-Islam who is being discussed as the possible negotiator in the article I linked to. The one who was killed today is Saif al-Arab, and is the youngest of the Gadhafi boys.

Still. A son and 3 grandchildren. Those kids were innocents. I hate to see anything like this happen.
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Old 05-01-2011, 05:29 AM   #5
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And the lesson we learn from this?
Don't give multiple children the same name.
It confuses Allah and he has to do something dramatic to rectify it.
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Old 05-01-2011, 05:31 AM   #6
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you funny
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Old 05-01-2011, 06:22 PM   #7
classicman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundae View Post
And the lesson we learn from this?
If you are going to be part of an asshole dictatorship .. be prepared for you and your family are probably going to to die a horrible death.
Score one for the good guys.
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Old 05-01-2011, 08:59 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classicman View Post
If you are going to be part of an asshole dictatorship .. be prepared for you and your family are probably going to to die a horrible death.
This is war. The more tragic and horrendous the deaths, then the more likely all will learn from the resulting mistakes that made war inevitable.
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Old 05-02-2011, 04:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tw View Post
This is war. The more tragic and horrendous the deaths, then the more likely all will learn from the resulting mistakes that made war inevitable.
Very funny, like were going to learn that lesson now after not learning it from the bazillion previous wars.
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Old 05-01-2011, 06:31 PM   #10
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Asshole dictatorship = legitimate government
Good guys = me and my friends
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Old 05-01-2011, 08:23 PM   #11
classicman
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really? Is that what you read into my post? Interesting take.
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Old 05-01-2011, 10:30 PM   #12
Fair&Balanced
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NATO is certainly pushing the envelope of the UN mandate (protect civilians by "all means necessary"). Some might say NATO has overstepped the mandate.

But the bottom line, when the UN and Arab League agree that attacks by the military on unarmed civilians will be met with a response, be prepared for the consequences.

Ghaddafi had choices, like Mubarik in Egypt and Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia. He chose to continue to attack his own people.
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Old 05-02-2011, 03:53 PM   #13
Jill
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fair&Balanced View Post

NATO is certainly pushing the envelope of the UN mandate (protect civilians by "all means necessary"). Some might say NATO has overstepped the mandate.

But the bottom line, when the UN and Arab League agree that attacks by the military on unarmed civilians will be met with a response, be prepared for the consequences.

Ghaddafi had choices, like Mubarik in Egypt and Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia. He chose to continue to attack his own people.
This is quite true. Sucks that he was in the home and it was the kids who got killed and not him.
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