Major Libyan Rebel Victories Are Now Threatening Gadaffi's Tripoli

Libya Rebels Battle For Key City Near Tripoli -- L.A. Times

Capturing Zawiya would allow the fighters to cut off supplies to Moammar Kadafi's forces and bring them that much closer to the capital.



Reporting from Cairo — Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi's supply lines were in danger Sunday as opposition forces in the western mountains battled closer to his capital, which has become isolated by rebel advances backed by NATO warplanes and a naval blockade.



Rebels pushed farther into Zawiya, a battered and strategic city about 30 miles west of Tripoli. Capturing it would open the door to the capital and allow rebels to cut off supplies to Kadafi's forces. The Libyan army is also facing pressure from insurgents in the east and from ships of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that have severed Tripoli's access to the Mediterranean Sea.



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Update: Libya Rebels Threaten a Supply Line to the Capital -- New York Times



My Comment: These recent rebel victories are worrying Gaddafi and his followers .... if Tripoli is cut off from supplies and fuel, it will only be a question of time before the rebels are victorious.

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Must See Video And Analysis Of The Ground Fight In Libya

A rebel fighter calls for help after being wounded in a firefight in Misurata, Libya. Andre Liohn

Reading The Rebels In Misurata, Libya -- At War/New York Times

One pair of questions often asked about the war in Libya have been these: Just who are the rebels who have taken up arms against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s government, and how do they fight?



A video recorded this spring by an independent photographer in Misurata, if watched closely, offers a set of answers to these questions, and raises many others.



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My Comment: A riveting report and analysis on the ground fight for Misurata in Libya. A must read.

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Is Gaddafi's Regime Splintering?

Splits Emerge Within Gaddafi Regime Over Alliance With Islamic Fundamentalists -- The Telegraph

Splits are emerging within the Libyan regime after senior members of the government distanced themselves from Gaddafi family plans to forge a settlement to end the civil war.



Col Muammar Gaddafi’s heir apparent, Saif al-Islam has declared the regime was prepared to embrace Islamic fundamentalists in an alliance to end the fighting.



Saif al-Islam told the New York Times last week that he was talking with an Islamic leader in the opposition-held east to seal an alliance against Libyan liberals. But the comments appeared to have troubled the ranks of regime’s leadership.



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My Comment: I have doubts that Gaddafi's regime is splintering .... they are trying to survive. But forming an alliance with Islamic fundamentalists .... if the story is true, it tells me that they are more desperate than what they are revealing.

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For Sale In London: One Libyan Embassy

A source said Gaddafi's UK envoys tried to sell cars and ''anything that wasn't nailed down'' in the embassy in Knightsbridge

Libyan Diplomats Attempted £100 Million 'Fire Sale' Of London Properties -- The Telegraph

Libyan diplomats attempted a "fire sale" of properties and luxury cars in London worth up to £100 million in the days leading up to their expulsion, intelligence sources have disclosed.



Embassy officials who have since been expelled tried to sell off nine exclusive properties and 29 vehicles including limousines, Mercedes and other high end vehicles.



Britain announced last month that it was recognising the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) as Libya's only legitimate government and would expel the remaining Tripoli regime diplomats.



It is understood that staff loyal to the NTC, the Libyan opposition based in Benghazi, were tipped off by British intelligence sources that the "fire sale" had begun at the end of last month. Anti-Gaddafi embassy staff frantically began to hide car keys and lock away title deeds for the homes. The Treasury is also understood to have stepped in and frozen the sale of all Libyan assets in Britain.



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Update #1: Everything must go! Gaddafi's diplomats hold embassy fire sale -- Independent

Update #2: Gadhafi envoys in London fire sale -- UPI



My Comment: Gaddafi's diplomats in London must know that time is against them .... that Gaddafi's days are numbered.

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Libya's Civil War Is Starting To Hit Gaddafi's Stronghold At Tripoli

Libyans Struggle To Cope With Blackouts, Gas Shortages -- CNN

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- The alleys and archways along Rashid Street in central Tripoli were plunged in darkness this weekend, as the Libyan capital struggled to cope with widespread shortages of electricity.

After sunset, the only light in one corner cafe came from two candles. Their flickering glow barely lit the faces of men seated at a handful of tables, where they were breaking their Ramadan fast.

Nearby, residents trudged down the center of empty streets enveloped in darkness. Some men played music from parked cars. Others sat silently in doorways, their presence only marked by the glow of a cigarette butt.

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My Comment: If this report is true, life in Libya's capital city is now going to get worse.

On a side note .... about a week ago there was speculation that Ramadan would bring a respite of peace in the conflict .... apparently this is not the case at all, with fighting now being reported on several fronts.

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British Naval Warship Comes Under Heavy Fire Form Gaddafi Forces

HMS Liverpool has been stationed off Libya for several weeks

Libya: Royal Navy Warship HMS Liverpool Comes Under Heavy Fire -- The Telegraph

HMS Liverpool, a Royal Navy warship, came under heavy rocket fire from a shore battery as it patrolled off the Libyan coast, the Ministry of Defence said.

A missile launcher is said to have sent a number of rockets towards Liverpool that has been stationed off Libya for several weeks.

The Type 42 destroyer returned heavy naval gunfire answering Col Gaddafi's forces with its 4.5in main gun sending several shells arching into the night during the early hours of Wednesday.

The attack came after Liverpool fired a barrage of illumination rounds in support of an air attack on the regime stronghold of Zlitan.

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More News On Gaddafi Forces Attacking The Royal Navy Warship HMS Liverpool

Gaddafi's forces fire at British warship: ministry -- Ahram Online
Mirrorman Chris Hughes comes under enemy fire aboard HMS Liverpool patrolling Libyan coast -- Mirror
Gaddafi thugs fire on British ship off Libya -- The Sun
HMS Liverpool fired on from Libya shore -- Defence Management
Warship comes under rocket attack as UK air strikes hit Gaddafi's forces -- British Forces News
HMS Liverpool fires on Gaddafi boats -- Defpro News
Pro-Gaddafi forces feel the full strength of the Royal Navy -- Portsmouth News
Video released after HMS Liverpool fires at and destroys boat in anti-Gaddafi battle -- Liver Pool Echo

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Libya's Civil War Of Attrition Grinds On

Libyan rebels fire an anti-aircraft gun at government forces Photo: Reuters

Libya Rebels Take Zlitan As RAF Clears Way After Two-Month Struggle -- The Guardian

Bombing campaign destroys Gaddafi tanks, rocket launchers, ammunition dumps and command centres.

Libyan rebels have entered the town of Zlitan after a weekend of heavy fighting in which Nato escalated its bombing campaign in the runup to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

RAF planes dropped 16 Paveway laser-guided bombs in two days around the town, destroying government tanks, rocket launchers, ammunition dumps and command centres, and clearing a path for the rebels.

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My Comment: While this is an important victory, it unfortunately reveals the rebels weakness in starting and sustaining a concentrated attack. It also reveals how effective NATO - rebel coordination can be in overcoming Gaddafi's forces, but with no support among NATO to expand its involvement in the Libyan civil war, this conflict is now following an attrition route in which the "last man standing" will be the victor.

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UK Defense Minister Does Not Believe That Libya's Rebels Will Win A Protracted Ground War

Limited capacity: Dr Fox admitted the rebels are unlikely to win a protracted ground war - suggesting that a real breakthrough was out of their hands and those of Britain

Gaddafi Will Go Only When His friends Abandon Him, Admits Liam Fox And Calls For A Strategic Rethink By Allies -- The Daily Mail

* Key will be if tyrant's inner circle realise he is a 'busted flush'
* Head of the rebel army is murdered
* Defence Secretary admits rebels are unlikely to win protracted ground war

Britain admitted Colonel Gaddafi will be toppled only when his inner circle turns against him.

Amid calls for a ‘wholesale’ rethink of strategy in the Libyan conflict, Defence Secretary Liam Fox said the key would be whether the ‘close circle’ around the dictator realise he is a ‘busted flush’.

Dr Fox also insisted Britain would take part in the bombing campaign against the regime to protect civilians for ‘as long as required’.

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My Comment: Can Libya's rebels persevere and eventually win over Gaddafi .... at the moment no. But with Gaddafi's forces suffering horrible atrtrition rates, and with the rebels organizing, training, and developing a functioning military .... with time Gaddafi will be defeated. But .... it will take time and that is one asset that Nato is in short supply.

Update: Will turmoil drag Libya’s rebels under? -- Jackson Diehl, Washington Post

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Libya's Rebel Movement Shaken By The Death Of Its Military Commander

Top Libyan Rebel Commander Killed Amid Spying Allegations -- McClatchy News

BENGHAZI, Libya — The head of the rebel Libyan army and two of his aides were killed Thursday amid accusations he was conducting back-channel talks on behalf of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. His death threatened to derail an already fractured rebel effort.

For NATO allies struggling to understand who exactly they are backing, the death of Gen. Abdel Fatah Younes is likely raise more questions about who the rebels are and how they would conduct themselves if Gadhafi lost control of the capital. Hours after the announcement of Younes' death, gunshots rang out in downtown Benghazi.

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More News On The Death Of Libya's Top Rebel Military Commander

Killing of general risks Libya rebel split -- The Australian/Times
Abdul Fatah Younis ambush killing blamed on pro-Gaddafi forces -- The Guardian
Abdel Fatah Younis: from Gaddafi's right-hand man to Libya's rebel leader -- The Guardian
Top Libyan rebel commander shot dead -- The Independent
Libyan rebel chief gunned down in Benghazi -- CNN
Libyan Rebels Say Military Chief Shot Dead -- Voice of America
Libya Rebel Military Chief Younis, Qaddafi Defector, Is Killed, Jalil Says -- Bloomberg
Libyan rebel leader Abdel Fattah Younes's death a mystery -- Herald Sun/AP
Libyan rebel commander killed -- AFP
Libyan rebels say military chief killed -- Reuters
Libyan rebels' military chief shot dead -- CBS/AP
Libyan rebel commander Abdel Fattah Younes killed -- BBC
Younes death halts momentum for Libyan rebels -- Al Jazeera
A Death in Libya -- Amy Davidson, New Yorker
Libya rebel leader Younes killed, Benghazi wobbles -- Christian Science Monitor
Death of Rebel Leader Stirs Fears of Tribal Conflict -- New York Times

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Is NATO (And The U.S.) Bailing Out Of Libya?

NATO Seeks Urgent Exit Strategy In Libya -- UPI

LONDON, July 26 (UPI) -- NATO is seeking an urgent exit strategy from Libya that will end the fighting and decide the future of embattled leader Moammar Gadhafi, even if that means letting him stay in the country though out of power, it emerged Tuesday after British and French foreign ministers met in London.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said NATO and even members of the opposition Transitional National Council wouldn't oppose Gadhafi staying in Libya as long as he gave up power.

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My Comment: The French and the English are not the only ones who may looking or a way out. When America's top General admits that there is a stalemate, and the campaign to get rid of Gaddafi is now "stuck in the sand" .... everyone now (not surprisingly) is now looking for a way out. But is the Libyan campaign masking something more sinister?

Hat Tip: Headed for a Massive Downgrade -- Stanley Kurtz, NRO

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