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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."

6 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. 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
  2. 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 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!
  3. 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/
  4. 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.