Libya's Bloody Mess

Last month I talked about the Jasmine Revolution that started in Tunisia, and spread across the Arab word--most notably Egypt. The revolts continue to this day, and in Libya things have taken a turn for the worse.

Gaddafi

Violence has been wide spread throughout the country for weeks. Their leader, Muammar Gaddafi, appears to have as much sanity as Charlie Sean with the looks of a bloated Michael Jackson. His television rants are sporadic and disconnected. He has hired African mercenaries to kill his own people. Fighter jet pilots given orders to bomb civilians have defected to other nations--with their planes. His people!?! They're stealing tanks, anti-air guns, and more in an attempt to bring about change through force. The opposition has also captured a number of key positions throughout the country; including some of the oil production facilities.

Airstrike inbound.

The international community is still debating if they should intervene starting with enforcing a no-fly zone. Ideally Europe would step in, and take their share of the nation building. More then likely this will not be the case. Europeans love to ignore Africa, and the nation with the most interest, Italy, is not up to the task. The United States may step in, but nobody seems to have the stomach for it on Pennsylvania Avenue. Morally it's the right thing to do. Militarily, politically, and financially it's not the best idea. This conundrum gives plenty of  material for all those talking heads and their twenty-four hour news cycle.

Meanwhile, Gaddafi is still looking for his marbles while vigorously denouncing the revolution. Military clashes are adding to the death toll, and to the rapidly rising oil prices. This is what I feared when I first saw the protests in Egypt. A long drawn out revolution that is more accurately labeled as a civil war.