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[MetalSlimeHunt]

I think it's pretty clear that this is almost over for Gaddafi's government. Now comes the important part: Whether or not the new government will be open and free or not. What positions I've seen them take so far are...decent enough, but I'm still concerned.

[GlyphGryph]

Open and free may be a bit hopeful, but I think "leagues better than ghaddafi was" might be realistic, at least.

I'm definitely interested in seeing how it goes.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

You'd have to be trying to be worse than Gaddafi.

[Christes]

I found this article amsuing:

http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2011/08/20/irish-teen-who-tracks-and-kills-gaddafi-snipers

[KaelGotDwarves]

In case people were still paying attention to Libya:

Libyan opposition fighters have taken the central squares of Tripoli, advancing 20 miles in one night, blowing through Gaddafi's defenses and causing his son and most loyal units to surrender.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Libya

[olemars]

Yeah, looks like the house of cards is crashing down tonight.

I've been watching live on Sky News solely because they're the only ones with a video link at the front lines. As of right now the rebel vanguard + Sky News is near the Martyr's/Green square, which is where Gaddafi likes liked to fist-pump at his supporters.

edit: Pretty tense BBC reporter live from his room at the Rixos hotel, wearing body armour, explaining that most of the government minders have fled from the hotel and there's heavy shooting nearby. Also, Green Square officially captured by rebels and filled with celebrating Tripolitanians.

[ed boy]

I'm also watching sky news, and it look like this is pretty much it for Gadaffi.

Problem is, even though they've gotten rid of him, they're still in a pretty bad way. Although the rebels have been organized enough to get rid of Gadaffi, it'll take a long time before libya is a functional country.

[olemars]

Hard to tell what happens next. I guess it depends on two things:
1) How much strife there is between various groupings in Libya
2) How much of the old system manage to survive the removal of the Gaddafis.

At least for 2) I guess they have an advantage over Egypt and Tunisia, where they got rid of the figurehead tyrant, but the system that had propped them up remains largely in place. In Libya it seems like the regime has been much more dependent on the chap at the top, and the regime-crashing has been much more complete. There aren't any significant, existing public institutions (courts, police, military) that people have any remaining trust in for instance. So I guess it's down to 1), whether the "rebel alliance" manage to hold together instead of breaking up into petty fights with eachother.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Western leaders, including Obama, call for al-Asad to step down, enacts hard sanctions.

Syrian protesters reinvigorated by Obama's call for al-Asad's resignation.

al-Asad formally rejects call to resign, plans to stay in power to the end.

Syria is next. No doubt about it. I think we may be seeing the beginning of the end for autocratic nations in the Middle East.

[Duuvian]

    I leave it to the Libyans to say the rest. I suppose it would be presumptuous of me to call people I've never spoken to my friends, but I'm proud of what the Libyans have done and that I wish it were possible for an unwealthy American such as myself to have done more to have helped them beyond what I was able. May your martyrs not have died in vain, which is to say: I hope the next government is a stable, fair, wise, and successful one, and that mine continues to offer good advice freely.

EDIT: Oh yeah, by the way, if NATO did bomb this like the Russians are yelling about: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Manmade_River

they should probably fix it up right quick once they get permission.

Take a look at the comments on this page. If they aren't using the ol' spam yahoo comments trick then fixing up the Great Manmade River would fix that aspect of the anti-NATO argument being thrown at the Russian everyman at least.

http://english.pravda.ru/news/world/23-07-2011/118577-nato_war_crimes-0/

[Aqizzar]

Breaking in Libya this morning: Tripoli has all but fallen overnight.  NATO coordinated airstrikes provided cover for rebel forces and Tripoli-based supporters; tanks rolled out to defend the presidential compound, but are gone now.  Qaddafi himself has not been found, and countries are lining up to swear they didn't take him in (South Africa namely, which was instrumental in the (now meaningless) negotiations).  Several of his sons have been found and captured, none killed as far as I know.  Apparently, his youngest son switched sides and was leading an element of rebels.  The loyalist military has not officially surrendered, and NATO will continue combat air patrols until that happens.

According to reporters in-country the Transitional Council, the ad-hoc assemblage of rebel leaders currently in charge of the country, have sworn to step down from power and work with NATO peacekeepers to establish a new permanent government.  China, one of Libya's chief trading partners, recognizes any new government.  Britain is already opening diplomatic channels.  All that's left now is for Qaddafi's body to turn up - I give it 48 hours, tops.

[Korgus]

    I leave it to the Libyans to say the rest. I suppose it would be presumptuous of me to call people I've never spoken to my friends, but I'm proud of what the Libyans have done and that I wish it were possible for an unwealthy American such as myself to have done more to have helped them beyond what I was able. May your martyrs not have died in vain, which is to say: I hope the next government is a stable, fair, wise, and successful one, and that mine continues to offer good advice freely.

EDIT: Oh yeah, by the way, if NATO did bomb this like the Russians are yelling about: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Manmade_River

they should probably fix it up right quick once they get permission.

Take a look at the comments on this page. If they aren't using the ol' spam yahoo comments trick then fixing up the Great Manmade River would fix that aspect of the anti-NATO argument being thrown at the Russian everyman at least.

http://english.pravda.ru/news/world/23-07-2011/118577-nato_war_crimes-0/

Pravda was claiming that Benghazi had fallen a few weeks ago. I wouldn't trust it.

[nenjin]

All that's left now is for Qaddafi's body to turn up - I give it 48 hours, tops.

Right now world leaders are calling for Libyans to surrender Gaddafi up to them so they can try him and his sons for international war crimes. Libyan rebel liberation army spokesmen were like "Yeah, we'll see about that."

[RedKing]

CNN is reporting that the rebels have withdrawn a bit to regroup for the final push. Pro-Qaddafi forces still hold a military barracks, a hospital and the hotel where the international journalists are staying. That could get really ugly if he tries to use them as hostages to ensure a safe departure. Since the rebels have assumedly captured the airport and military airfields in Tripoli (and the harbor), he really doesn't have a way out.

[olemars]

Read a few articles on Libya on the Russia Today website. Anyone feeling gloomy over the state of journalism in western countries can perhaps find a slight comfort in knowing that it could be plenty worse.