nato

Is Qaddafi Ready to Make a Deal?

Max Read · 06/25/11 01:55PM

Libyan rebels are telling the AFP that they "expect to get an offer very soon" from dictator Moammar Qaddafi. According to Abdel Hafiz Ghoga of the rebel government, they've heard ("though contacts with France and South Africa") that Qaddafi is ready to "present a proposal"; even if the rumors are true (and it's in the best interests of Ghoga and the National Transitional Council to convince NATO that hostilities will end soon), the NTC has said it cannot accept a deal that would keep Qaddafi in power. But according to Rep. Mike Turner, NATO didn't even want that on the table: The congressman told Foreign Policy that Admiral Samuel Locklear had admitted to him that NATO forces were trying to kill Qaddafi, which, if true, would be a violation of the stated objectives of the NATO mission.

Need London Olympics Tickets? Just Ask a Qaddafi

Jeff Neumann · 06/15/11 02:30AM

Here's an awkward scenario: Muammar Qaddafi's eldest son, Muhammad, throwing London 2012 Olympic Games ragers in Britain, attending high profile events, and maybe even scalping some tickets for a little extra cash. It could happen! The Telegraph reports that the Libyan Olympic Committee, which is headed by Muhammad, has been granted nearly 1,000 tickets to the Games, and they are free to sell them "at a 20 per cent mark-up."

Anonymous and NATO in Cyber Pissing Match

Adrian Chen · 06/09/11 03:33PM

In this corner, the amorphous blob of Wikileaks-loving nerds: Anonymous! And in this corner, the sometimes-relevant intergovernmental military alliance NATO! NATO wants to kill Anonymous, but Anonymous says back off.

NATO Is Scared of Anonymous

Max Read · 06/01/11 08:53PM

Thanks to its recent attacks on the Chamber of Commerce and security firm HBGary, anarchic hacker collective Anonymous has popped up on the radar of NATO, which worries that the cheeto-fingered dorks "could potentially hack into sensitive government, military, and corporate files." (Just kidding about the cheetos, guys! Don't hack us!)

Armed 'Western Troops' Filmed in Libya as Generals Defect

Max Read · 05/30/11 07:07PM

Six armed Western men, possibly British special forces, were caught on tape by Al Jazeera, seemingly corroborating rumors that SAS soldiers are on the ground in Libya acting as spotters for NATO air strikes. The presence of Western troops is... well, the Guardian calls it a "sensitive" subject, because the UN resolution authorizing air strikes explicitly forbids a "foreign occupation force of any form." As far as the British government is concerned, they don't exist: "We don't have any forces out there," the Ministry of Defense says.

Libya War Not Really Legal Anymore

Jim Newell · 05/26/11 11:40AM

Remember that thing the Obama administration started a couple of months ago, something about "bombing the shit out of Libya"? No? Well it was right around the start of March Madness; perhaps you were distracted. But the Libya War, and America's military involvement in it, is still quite active. The only thing that's changed is that it's probably in violation of the law now.

Qaddafi's Wife, Daughter Leave Libya for Tunisia

Max Read · 05/18/11 06:07PM

Aisha Qaddafi, daughter of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, has reportedly left Libya for Tunisia along with her mother, Safia. It's unclear whether they are defecting — as the Libyan oil minister did this weekend — or just visiting. [Reuters]

No One Really Wants to Be in Charge in Libya

Max Read · 03/24/11 11:43PM

NATO agreed on Thursday night to take complete command of military operations in Libya. Psych! NATO is only leading the part that involves flying jets around, while the U.S., France and the UK are stuck doing the "actual war stuff" (technical term).

Heroin About to Get a Whole Lot More Expensive

Jeff Neumann · 05/13/10 07:40AM

A mysterious fungus is wreaking havoc on Afghanistan's opium poppies, which account for 92% of the world's supply. Local farmers blame the US military and NATO after a white substance appeared on their crops. The United Nations blames nature.