Latest footage from the Middle East and North Africa. See also Libya (and Beyond) Video: Qaddafi's 22-Second Speech and Libya Video: Qaddafi's 90-Minute Speech.
Opposition Raises Pre-Regime Flag over Tobruk in Libya
"Mercenaries" Patrolling Streets of Libya
More than 12 hours after Muammar Qaddafi's 90-minute mix of threat, bluster, and poetry, spiced with a dash of the irrational, the situation in Libya is no closer to resolution.
Yet there is some clarity emerging from the incoherence. Qaddafi's message, like that of former Presidents Ben Ali (Tunisia) and Mubarak (Egypt) before him, was that he would die in the country which he had led for decades. Unlike those two, however, Qaddafi was pointing to a determination that he would do so bloodily, both for his demise and as many Libyans --- enemies, of course, twisted by foreign hands --- that he could take with him.
What was missed as Qaddafi confused and almost mesmerised with his appearance, however, was the emerging race to the end. Which happens first: the leader unleashing bloody wrath or a coup that ends Qaddafi's life as well as his 42-year rule?
The defection of the Minister of Interior --- Qaddafi's companion in the 1969 Revolution and close friend --- brought this into focus. Major General Abdul Fattah Younis al Obeidi resigned all his posts and urged all armed forces to join the people of the "February 17 Revolution".
That is a resignation beyond that of the Libyan ministers and diplomats who have already fled Qaddafi's camp. Monday's aerial strikes, which were initially thought to be aimed at decimating protesters, were primarily carried out upon Libya's own military facilities. Although the situation is still not Air Force v. Army --- without some ground forces, Qaddafi could not remain --- this is a tightening military circle.
The Battle of Tripoli is taking shape. Qaddafi said, just before this uprising, that he did not want to be the victim of the Internet and Kleenex. Whether or not there is hidden wisdom in his statement, he is wrong.
It is the guns of his former allies that he should be fearing.
2224 GMT: The Tunisian Prime Minister's office has regained control of its homepage, after it was taken over by the Anonymous collective earlier this evening (see 2135 GMT).
2215 GMT: Speaking on television tonight, Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi says he will not be a candidate in elections, due in six months, and will retire from politics.
2135 GMT: The Anonymous collective has posted a message on the homepage of the Tunisian Prime Minister:
Since the emergence of the WikiLeaks in late November, I have argued that their damage would be overstated. American diplomats have had to deal for many decades with "leaks", sometimes from officials in the Administration. While WikiLeaks was potentially on a bigger scale --- less than 1% of the 250,000 documents have been released --- redactions in the cables (although there have been a few notable errors in letting names through) have limited any repercussions.
This, of course, would not stop the US Government from proclaiming loudly that there have been grave consequences. "Embarrassment" is not the same as "damage", and there is plenty of that in the released cables, which show --- unsurprisingly --- that the private pursuit of US foreign policy differs from its public presentation. The priority for the Government would be to ensure that a document release on this scale does not happen again.
Now I have gotten support from an unexpected source.
In May 2006, the US Liaison Office in Tripoli documents the extensive interests of the family of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in the Libyan economy: "The...family and other Jamahiriya [Libyan system] political favorites profit from being able to manipulate the multi-layered and regularly shifting dynamics of governance mechanisms in Libya. They have strong interests in the oil and gas sector, telecommunications, infrastructure development, hotels, media distribution, and consumer goods distribution."
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 7:49 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2135 GMT: One of a number of photos from a rally in Bizerte, on the northern coast of Tunisia:
2125 GMT: In Algeria, a woman "about 40 years old" tried to set herself on fire on Tuesday in the resort of Sidi Ali Benyoub, 600 kilometres (370 miles) west of Algiers.
It is the 7th case of self-immolation in the last week in Algeria.
Abdeljelil Bedoui, Ahmed Ibrahim, Constitutional Democratic Rally Party, Houssine Dimassi, Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, Muammar Gaddafi, Mustafa Ben Jaafar, Najib, Sheikh Sabah al Ahmed al Jaber al Sabah, Soumaya Ghannoushi, The Moor Next Door, Yacoub Ould Dahoud. Ahmed Hesham El-Sayed. Anouar Ben Gueddour 
These incidents are the work of a small group of hostile elements who are offended by the success of Tunisia and who are are filled with resentment and grievance, because of the progress and development achieved by the country, as evidenced by the reports of institutions and international and UN organisations known for their objectivity and impartiality.
These ill-intentioned elements have used the issue of unemployment, exploiting an isolated act of desperation, as happens in all societies and in many situations.
Hostile elements in the pay of foreigners, who have sold their souls to extremism and terrorism, manipulated from outside the country by parties who do not wish well to a country determined to persevere and work.
