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Politics: Libyan Rebels Announce Creation of a Republic

Posted by timothy on from the if-you-can-keep-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A report in p2pnet.net says a 'declaration for a temporary council in the Republic of Libya' has been published. The story quotes Alive in Libya, which says Mustafa Abdul Jaleel is the president, and Abdul Hafid Abdul Qader Ghoga is the deputy president and official spokesman. No other details are given."

13 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Irrelevant by the+linux+geek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A declaration by some wing of a splintered popular uprising in an African country, reported by a news source with zero credibility? Is this what Slashdot has come to? :(

    1. Re:Irrelevant by Majik+Sheff · · Score: 3, Funny

      A declaration by some wing of a splintered popular uprising in the New World? Who is this John Hancock fellow?

      --
      Women are like electronics: you don't know how damaged they are until you try to turn them on.
    2. Re:Irrelevant by MaskedSlacker · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The wealthy head of a crime (smuggling) syndicate.

  2. They have support by hajus · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This group actually has backing from the local city councils that have been working to keep the local infrastructure running.

  3. Re:Not so fast... by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 4, Insightful

    By the same token, we could talk about the 13 colonies and the British Crown. Remember, it's only treason if you lose.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  4. Re:Not so fast... by ScentCone · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And if you lose, you end up in Gitmo.

    Which rebellious US citizen, caught here in the US attempting to overthrow the US government, has found themselves in Gitmo? Please be specific.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  5. Freedom Fatigue by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The amount of disparaging and dismissive comments made here, along with the generally tepid response in the West to the Libyan revolution(as well as the Arab revolutions in general) makes me feel that the West in general has no interest in democracy or freedom. Even amidst the general populace.

    Obviously the west has little to gain politically or economically from any wave of democracy in the middle east. But even ideologically, people in the west seemed to be totally uninterested in recent events in the region.

    Have we entered the age of "Meh, Freedom"? Maybe democracy, having hitched its fortunes to marketism and failed to deliver on its promises, has simply lost its lustre for westerners? Maybe the rise of China is turning people towards alternative forms of government? Maybe the west--and America in particular-- is tired of international conflicts and is entering a period of isolationism?

    I don't know what it is, but comparing interest in the Arab revolutions to the interest in the Orange and Velvet revolutions only a few years ago, I'm struck by the increase in apathy, and in some cases dismissal by people living older democracies.

    --
    May the Maths Be with you!
    1. Re:Freedom Fatigue by BJ_Covert_Action · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, that's an interesting perspective, but do you actually have a comment count or anything like that to back up your claims? I've been following just about every Slashdot thread on the Jasmine Revolutions since the revolt in Tunisia and so far I've witnessed, primarily, nothing but support and excitement by the Slashdot crowd. Granted, there is the typical number of cynics that keeps saying stuff like, "Yeah, protests are all fun and games until someone fire bombs you!" but I think those are primarily meant to lighten the mood and help intelligent people cope with the reality that hits them when they understand that there are still people dying for freedom in this world.

      All in all, I would say that the /. crowd has been very supportive and even eager about the prospect of freedom revolutions both in the Middle East and elsewhere. Hell, I've even noticed a few folks talking about emulating the protests in their home countries. So, I don't know where you get the idea that we are all so apathetic. Perhaps it's just a self-imposed perspective thing?

      --
      Motorcycles, Robots, Space Gossip and More!
    2. Re:Freedom Fatigue by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Maybe it's because, no matter which choices we make, we're going to get criticized by the usual suspects? This sort of thing does inspire cynicism. Let's grab a random example: PBS show on 1993 Somalia, "explores the well-intentioned, aborted, and ultimately tragic American effort to bring about stability and stop starvation." PBS show in 1994 Rwanda, "how the West ignored warnings of the 1994 Rwanda genocide and turned its back on the victims."

      It's the Kobayashi Maru - the no-win situation. And there's no reprogramming the computers this time. Is it any surprise that there is a lack of enthusiasm? You're bitching that we aren't doing anything, but the minute the first US Marine sets foot in Libya you'll change your tune to IMPERIALISM USA FASCISTS OIL HALLIBURTON EARTHQUAKE MACHINE 9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB WHARRRGARBL

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  6. Somewhere between a coup and a revolution. by Animats · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's more than a coup attempt, but less than a revolution. The rebels claim a port city, there's some fighting near the capital. Some army units are supporting the rebellion. This is the normal form of regime change in some countries. The people at the top change, but the whole government isn't replaced.

    The announced head of the new government is a former justice minister. He seems to be the compromise choice of several factions, which is a good sign. Interestingly, this seems to be a secular rebellion. The leadership isn't talking about establishing an Islamic state.

    1. Re:Somewhere between a coup and a revolution. by Billly+Gates · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The rebels took half the country!

      It is a revolution. The people protested. Gadhafi sent troops to kill them. Unlike Egypt there was nothing else they could do but fight back with force.

      They want democracy so the next time an unpopular leader is around they can vote him or her out instead of taking the streets with weapons.

      --
      http://saveie6.com/
  7. Re:Republic of Bob! by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Informative

    If you enjoyed substantial popular support in said room, had recently captured a variety of arms caches, and were thus far holding the military of the existing regime at bay, while said regime takes a substantial battering in world opinion, it would in fact mean just as much...

    Dirty little not-really-secret is, virtually all declarations of nationhood are legally risible. Some were legally risible and supported by armed force and resources. Others were just risible all around.

  8. Re:Republic, eh? by francium+de+neobie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ok, let's say you're doing some kind of charity project like the OLPC, and you seriously need money to move your project forward, and you're just a MIT professor who'd been minding his research, and published a few books, for over 40 years.

    And Qadaffi, a leader of some African country which just happens to be in your target market, donates money to you so you can move your project forward. You've never been a diplomat so you don't really know what Qadaffi has been up to, but it's good money and probably some goodwill with a non-small African country. All you know is you can use that money to help a bunch of poor kids in Africa.

    Now, who wouldn't accept that money?! Seriously, get a grip. An MIT professor isn't some kind of all-knowing god.