Libya: Islamist militia bases stormed in Benghazi

[The Puss]

The ordinary people speak for a change and get a result.

The militia suspected of killing the US ambassador to Libya nearly two weeks ago has been driven out of its base in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Police and protesters stormed the HQ of the Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia.

The HQ of the Sahaty Brigade, said to have official backing, was also stormed. At least nine people were killed there, another died elsewhere.

The attack on the US consulate was triggered by an amateur video made in the US which mocks Islam.

Protests against the film have been held across the Muslim world. At least 19 people died in Pakistan on Friday alone, in clashes with police trying to stop protesters attacking US diplomatic buildings.

US citizens have been urged not to travel to Pakistan and the US embassy has paid for adverts on Pakistani TV showing President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning the film.
Government-backed group

Witnesses say supporters of Ansar al-Sharia gathered outside its Benghazi headquarters, in front of the crowd, waving black and white banners.

They fired into the air to try to disperse the protesters, but fled with their weapons after the base was surrounded by waves of people shouting "No to militias".

Buildings and a car were set alight and fighters evicted.

In a statement later, a spokesman for the group said militiamen had evacuated the premises after their commander had ordered to "hand them over to the people of Benghazi" to preserve security.

However, in a standoff outside the headquarters of the Sahaty Brigade in the city, three people were killed and at least 20 injured according to witnesses and officials.

The two sides are said to have exchanged rocket and light arms fire for two hours before the brigade decided to move out.

Protesters then set fire to one of the main buildings and pillaged a weapons depot, a journalist for AFP news agency at the scene reported.

On Saturday, sources said the bodies of another six people had been found in or near the Sahaty Brigade headquarters. They had been shot in the upper back, possibly indicating execution-style killings.

Another person was killed and another 20 injured in other incidents, city hospitals said.

The BBC's Rana Jawad in the capital Tripoli says the Sahaty Brigade is believed to be operating under the authority of the ministry of defence.

Senior Libyan officials say that while they welcomed the protests, people should differentiate between the rogue militias and honest rebel brigades that helped to secure the town in last year's uprising against Col Muammar Gaddafi.

Earlier, some 30,000 protesters marched through Benghazi calling for an end to the armed groups and a return to the rule of law.

There has been a wave of hostility towards the militias since US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others Americans died in last week's attack on the Benghazi consulate.

"I don't want to see armed men wearing Afghani-style clothes stopping me in the street to give me orders, I only want to see people in uniform," said university student Omar Mohammed, who took part in the takeover of the Ansar al-Sharia compound.

Many Libyans have expressed outrage at the attack on the US consulate. Ansar al-Sharia denies being behind it.

Libya's interim government has since come under renewed and intense pressure to rein in well-armed extremist militia groups and force them to disband.

Friday's march was the largest seen in Benghazi - considered the heartland of Libya's uprising - since Col Gaddafi was deposed.

Armed militia groups which helped to defeat Gaddafi remain powerful in many parts of the country.

They are better armed and more numerous than Libya's official army, and there have been reports of militias intimidating and carrying out killings against rivals.

[LongBlade]

Against my expectations we may have actually made more friends in Libya than enemies. Lord knows it's not for want of trying elsewhere. About time we got some traction over there.

[TheCommandTent]

It will be interesting to see how the Libyan "government" handles these people.  Hopefully they will listen and let the people have their say.

[Arctic Blast]

It will be interesting to see how the Libyan "government" handles these people.  Hopefully they will listen and let the people have their say.

It would certainly be a popular decision, but it probably comes down to a simple question of how many guns the government has, and whether they have more than the militia groups.

[LongBlade]

It would appear that Libya is turning into what we thought Iraq was supposed to be - a mostly grateful liberated nation.

Who knew?

Libyan President Mohammed el-Megaref has ordered the disbandment of illegitimate militias, giving the armed groups 48 hours to evacuate military compounds and state property, Reuters reports.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/09/23/libya-orders-disbanding-illegitimate-militias/

[Bison]

We'll see.  I'm not convinced.  The current is pretty strong in the opposite direction across the Middle East.

[pawelj]

It would appear that Libya is turning into what we thought Iraq was supposed to be - a mostly grateful liberated nation.

Who knew?

Libyan President Mohammed el-Megaref has ordered the disbandment of illegitimate militias, giving the armed groups 48 hours to evacuate military compounds and state property, Reuters reports.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/09/23/libya-orders-disbanding-illegitimate-militias/

Most ordinary people in Benghazi and the rest of Libya knew whose planes were defending them from Qaddafi's forces. Iraq was like that except for the secterian element that caused almost a civil war, which would have happened after Saddams overthrow regardless of whether the it was casued by internal uprising or external liberation.
US should be actively supporting in the Middles East, and generally in the world, those that share our ideals. People that are allied because of ideas are more certain and lasting then those that only share interests. It will pay off in the long run.

[eyebiter]

Against my expectations we may have actually made more friends in Libya than enemies. Lord knows it's not for want of trying elsewhere. About time we got some traction over there.

Don't kid yourself, they are worried if they kill the golden goose the US will leave.  The Libyan rebels want US foreign aid and investment.

[eyebiter]

double post

[LongBlade]

How much of a "scandal" do you guys think this is?

Apparently Obama knew within 24 hours that the attack in Libya was terrorism and probably AQ-related.

For the next two weeks they denied that fact.

Last night I heard a talking head call this a "scandal of the first order" or somesuch.

If true this is an obvious attempt to hide the facts during an election season, but is it a huge deal or just another scandal among many? Maybe I'm becoming de-sensitized to all the scandals coming out of the White House these days?

U.S. intelligence officials knew within 24 hours of the assault on the U.S. Consulate in Libya that it was a terrorist attack and suspected Al Qaeda-tied elements were involved, sources told Fox News -- though it took the administration a week to acknowledge it.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/27/us-officials-knew-libya-attack-was-terrorism-within-24-hours-sources-confirm

[Bison]

Was there ever any question outside of the love blind media and kool aid drinkers that this not only was a terrorist attack, but the administration damned well fully knew it was.  The mad push over a stupid youtube video was complete crap that was spit in the face of evey American in order to protect the reality of a failed forgeign policy. 

[LongBlade]

Now reports are coming out that the ambassador repeatedly asked for more security.

And was denied.

This is turning into an epic cluster****.

"Based on information provided to the committee by individuals with direct knowledge of events in Libya, the attack that claimed the ambassador's life was the latest in a long line of attacks on Western diplomats and officials in Libya in the months leading up to September 11, 2012," they wrote. "In addition, multiple U.S. federal government officials have confirmed to the committee that, prior to the September 11 attack, the U.S. mission in Libya made repeated requests for increased security in Benghazi. The mission in Libya, however, was denied these resources by officials in Washington."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/02/diplomats-asked-repeatedly-for-more-security-before-libya-attack-lawmakers

And just in case that wasn't enough...

Fox News reported on Friday that the physical security was so substandard at the Benghazi consulate that it required a waiver, signed off in Washington by the secretary of state, the head of diplomatic security, or the heads of foreign building operations. A State Department spokeswoman said there would be no comment on the issue until their internal investigation is complete.

[Bison]

Don't worry that will happen maybe next year.

[OJsDad]

The FBI finally got into Benghazi today.  They were there for a couple of hours.

[GDS_Starfury]

Now reports are coming out that the ambassador repeatedly asked for more security.

And was denied.

This is turning into an epic cluster****.

I cant wait for the foreign policy depbate.
I expect it to be "this is what needs to be done" vs "I killed obl"