Senior Lybian Colonels flying Warplanes change course, defect to Malta

[Cowlesy]

Glad to hear these guys couldn't bring themselves to bomb or strafe their own citizenry.

Bravo to them!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/libya-colonels-defected-to-malta-rather-than-bomb-protesters.html

[Baptist]

Insider tip: Have to wait until the thread gets views before you rate it 5 stars. When thread has 1 view everyone knows you rate your own thread.

[Cowlesy]

Insider tip: Have to wait until the thread gets views before you rate it 5 stars. When thread has 1 view everyone knows you rate your own thread.

Additional insider tip: The number of views is not updated in real time. ;)

And I didn't rate this thread anything, btw.

[Baptist]

Glad to hear these guys couldn't bring themselves to bomb or strafe their own citizenry.

Bravo to them!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/libya-colonels-defected-to-malta-rather-than-bomb-protesters.html



Yeah, that is cool. But I was also thinking that they could be western assets and they lied and pulled this stunt so that the rest of the world thinks the regime was going to bomb their own civilians. Now the west is getting pissed at Libyan leaders. Guess I follow to many conspiracy theories.


BTW, do you guys remember Doc from Back to the Future? LYBYANS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

hopefully our military men at home will do the same if they are told to attack citizens.

[Philhelm]

It's nice to see some good stories for a change.

[raiha]

It's not so good. Only two defected out of an entire squadron: The majority proceeded to wreak their havoc with planes and arms provided by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon etc. Obama weak as cat's piss as usual. Oil, arms business more important than humans. (They're only Muslims...don't suppose they count.)

[aGameOfThrones]

After seeing fellow pilots begin bombing, the colonels changed course and headed for Malta, according to Al Jazeera.

I wished they would have shot down their "fellow" pilots then defected.

[Imperial]

If only they could have turned around and bombed Gaddafi, but that probably would have ended poorly for them and only legitimized his regime. Ultimately, the non-violent approach to the revolution is what Gaddafi cannot fight, ironically enough.

[Zippyjuan]

It's not so good. Only two defected out of an entire squadron: The majority proceeded to wreak their havoc with planes and arms provided by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon etc. Obama weak as cat's piss as usual. Oil, arms business more important than humans. (They're only Muslims...don't suppose they count.)

Actually their military uses Russian equipment. US companies did not make their airplanes (they do have a few US made helicptors). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_Air_Force

[HOLLYWOOD]

Live television feeds out of Malta.

http://wwitv.com/television/130.htm



US state Department issues "Hot Tip" on Libya. :rolleyes:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/libya-us-issues-travel-warning-begins-evacuating-personnel.html

LIBYA: U.S. issues travel warning, begins evacuating personnel (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/libya-us-issues-travel-warning-begins-evacuating-personnel.html)

February 21, 2011

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef014e8639274b970d-320wi (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef014e8639274b970d-pi)
The State Department issued a travel warning Monday advising all non-emergency U.S. personnel to leave Libya, where anti-government protesters have been gathering for days amid turmoil throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

"The Department of State has ordered all embassy family members and non-emergency personnel to depart Libya," the State Department said in the travel warning (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_libya.html), which said demonstrations, violence and looting were possible during the next several days.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef014e5f600816970c-200wi (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-0129-egypt-protests-0203-i,0,5748936.htmlstory) "U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution, avoid areas where demonstrations are likely to occur, such as government offices and public squares, and leave an area immediately if a demonstration begins. Demonstrations have degenerated on several occasions into violent clashes between security forces and protesters, resulting in injuries and deaths," the travel warning said.

"The U.S. Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all demonstrations, as even peaceful ones can quickly become unruly and a foreigner could become a target of harassment, or worse. While demonstrations have not been directed toward Westerners, U.S. citizens are urged to remain alert to local security developments and to be vigilant regarding their personal security." Some reports have already surfaced of U.S. citizens detained during protests in Libya.
Rahma, an activist in Tripoli, told the Al Jazeera satellite network Monday that her father, a U.S. citizen who joined protests at the Libyan capital's main courthouse Sunday, had been detained and that she had not been able to make contact with him.

[raiha]

Sorry Zippyjuan you are right...i copied a Libyan tweet without checking. Chinese whispers easy in times of stress. One of my many short comings.

[Anti Federalist]

Actually their military uses Russian equipment. US companies did not make their airplanes (they do have a few US made helicptors). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_Air_Force

Yeah, it's been just recently that Muammar has been taken off the United States' shit list.