The questions being asked here this morning by student friends include what happened to the resistance to NATO and its supported rebels, where are the "65,000 professional soldiers waiting to repel "NATO's rebels" from entering Tripoli, mentioned just last night by Government spokesman, Musa Ibrahim, was there ever a real Libyan army of thousands ready to defend Tripoli, what will the transition be like, will there be tribal conflicts for power, will Libya have to pay for all the infrastructure damage, will NATO countries, given the widespread hostility to NATO killing so many civilians be granted oil contracts, will the US get another military base (Wheelus was closed by Kaddafi on June 1970), will the new government recognize Israel as NATO is said to be demanding, will the National Transition Council fulfill its pledges for a just, quick transition with early elections, and on and on.
Yesterday morning, as I embarked on a bike tour of Tripoli, there were signs that something incongruous was happening. Security guards, normally about 20 outside the hotel were nowhere to be seen. Also, no staff came to work. Ismail and the IT guy slept at the hotel--and the British lady "Miss Lorraine" who is in charge of hotel Hospitality lives at the hotel and was understandably and visibly upset.
As I left the hotel close to 7:30 a.m. by bicycle yesterday morning I was surprised to see one woman standing alone on the street in front of the hotel. I more surprised when she lite up with a broad smile as chimed "Hello Mr. Lamb!" She is Marianne, who works with Lorraine somewhere in the bowels of this claimed "7 Star Hotel" I had spoken with her on the phone but we never met personally. When I asked her why she was standing in the empty street, she replied, "I need to find a ride to the port!" That seemed odd, given what is happening here, so I asked her why. "My two week vacation starts today and I need to get a boat to Malta". I was shocked, "Sweetheart, please, for sure there is no boat to Malta now and it's dangerous for you to go to the Port." "But, my boyfriend is waiting for me in Malta" she wailed." Ok, but if you find a ride call my room and I will pay half and come with you to the Port". Marianne agreed. I never saw her again.
The UN delegation left yesterday after their five day "fact finding mission." Not sure what facts they found because they mainly stayed in the Hotel waiting and waiting, like most other foreigners here do, for a promised appointment with a government official or someone. Their leader, a stellar Palestinian lady from Nazarath in Occupied Palestine, convinced NATO to let some foreigners make use of empty UN planes seats so this hotel was essentially emptied of guests.
At press time, no sign of Colonel Kadaffi and angst is rising among the public over the odd calm the has spread over Tripoli.
Franklin Lamb is in Tripoli.
Batches of young men"".
Report of panic and fleeing are not true. That the Corinthia Hotel was attacked not true.
What happened"". Last night heavy nato bombing and some gun fire toward the east""this morning almost eerily quiet is broken by nato bombs and some anti-aircraft and small arms fire. Streets are empty of cars and people and cars. No taxis, no buses.
I talked a teenager into letting me rent his bike and spent about 90 minutes peddling around central Tripoli. No army, almost no police. .
From the 26th floor of this 26 floor Hotel one can see snippers setting up on many roof tops in this section of Tripoli""".but where is the Libyan army? Is there on people are asking. What did a ragtag band of ill trained mainly civilian rebels take control of two thirds of the country? The answer of course is NATO's 20,000 plus sorties including 8,000 bombing mission. In March 2011,the Libyan "uprising" quickly became and continues to be completely NATO's war against Libya.
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