Oil installations ablaze in Libya as battles rage

"Libya's crippled energy industry"

Thanks, Colonel Gadhafi.

"The people want Colonel Gadhafi!"

Only the brainwashed/well-paid people.

"President Barack Obama's national security team weighed how to force Gadhafi from power"

Why should it be up to the U.S. to force Gadhafi from power?

Had the devloped countries moved to alternate energy sources years ago - - we would not be as concerned about what is happnening in Libya's back yard ( aside from the human rights violations).

Why should it be up to the U.S. to force Gadhafi from power?

Quite right. When was it the US's responsibility to bring about regime change? Oh, wait...

Screw the EU, NATO and the useless security council. Egypt and Tunisia should scramble their airforces and put Ghadafi down. The Libyan people will only be thankful is my guess.

@Sarge

Why should it be up to the U.S. to force Gadhafi from power?

Same reason why the US ousted Saddam - for killing their own people.

Some thoughts.

Support for the rebels may win future friends for the global community and help assure an internationally minded new power.

Staying out of the fight could have consequences if the winner then sees the world community has hostile of unsympathetic.

Gadhafi is clearly the one the western powers want to see out. If this is really their policy, they should provide aid to the rebels.

I have thought that staying out all together was the best move. But reconsidering the issue, I think we have to take a position of some kind as an international community. For me that means either demanding that all sides stop and step back to talk. Which is unlikely to happen. Or modest support for the rebels.

Had the devloped countries moved to alternate energy sources years ago - - we would not be as concerned about what is happnening in Libya's back yard ( aside from the human rights violations).

Exactly. Alternate energy has been under consideration for half a century now and will probably continue to be talked about for another.

It would appear already the gas companies are taking advantage of the situation. Topped up the tank for 150JPY per liter this morning. Just why we need to pay more right now for gasoline that was probably refined and shipped at least three months ago (or more) is beyond me. Holy gouging Batman.

The world needs peace.

Same reason why the US ousted Saddam - for killing their own people.

Yes, because that has gone swimmingly for the US, hasn't it?

British and Dutch special forces have already been captured in Libya, and I wonder how many more there are. And Russian satellite data revealed that at least some of the reports of Gadhafi's aerial bombings are false. And we have Israel providing weapons and mercenaries to Gadhafi, and the US asking the Saudis to give weapons to the rebels. And we know that we can't count on western governments and media to tell us the truth (we should expect the opposite).

Considering all this, its hard to figure out what is going on, who is doing what, and why.

It certainly is not as crystal clear as in Tunisia and Egypt.

sabiwabi,

Of course Israel is involved even if it is only in your mind. Those evil Jews are to blame for everything. Damn them!!!! So apart from conspiricy sites wheres the proof.

AdamB,

According to Veterans Today: "According to news sources inside Israel, “troops” are being hired across Africa, Uganda, Sudan, Chad and the Central Africa Republic, including Al Qaeda fighters, to be deployed against demonstrators and rebel forces currently involved in heavy fighting in a two week old attempt to overthrow the Libyan ruler that has left thousands dead."

If these reports are true, that Israel is helping one side and Saudi Arabia the other, it would basically mean that the US is (indirectly) financing and arming both sides. This would indicate that they want heavy fighting and casualties to go on, probably to give them a pretext to go in and fix the problem (i.e., invade and occupy).

sabiwabi,

Yes l did read that article, it was by an Israeli reporter by the name of Barry Chamish. Who among other things has written about UFO's in Israel, and various other conspiracy books about Israel's government and the Rabin assasination. Very credible source there

sabiwabi: And we have Israel providing weapons and mercenaries

If you really believed even just 10% of the "theories" you put forth you would have thrown up your hands and given up on fighting with Israel. Given the level of control over the world you feel they have you'd be forced to realize that it's just helpless to resist. By your standards they're pretty much the most badass people to ever walk the face of the earth and we're all just their pawns. At some point you have to step back and give them some credit for pulling that off.

But then you'd have no purpose for being. Hmm....

Some hope today for Asian markets' the strong US dollar, which helped dent the oil price from near record high.

Probably won't take the pressure off inflation-- but gives regional c. banks a breather =/

Where is the outrage from the "eco-warrior" crowd?

Will this be another fire so big that there is only one company in the world (the dreaded Halliburton!) who can extinguish it?