BBC Journalists Brutalized in Libya
[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; if you have tips, please send them here.]
Not much to say that hasn’t already been said, but it is still outrageous:
Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi’s security forces detained and beat up a BBC news team who were trying to reach the strife-torn western city of Zawiya.
Members of the three-man team were beaten with fists, knees and rifles, hooded and subjected to mock executions by Libyan troops and secret police.
The three were detained on Monday and held for 21 hours, but have now flown out of Libya.
The UN Human Rights Commissioner says their treatment may amount to torture.
“For them to be targeted, detained and treated with such cruelty, which could amount to torture, is completely unacceptable and in serious violation of international law,” said High Commissioner Navi Pillay in a news release.
“If an international television crew can be subjected to this type of treatment,” she said, “it makes me extremely concerned about the treatment that is most likely being meted out to Libyan opponents of the regime who have fallen into the hands of the security services.”
(Source.) And you can watch a pretty harrowing interview with the reporters in question, here:
This regime cannot end quickly enough. And to the credit of the French, they have officially recognized the rebels as the real government of Libya. Good for them. I am not sure if that adds up to any real-world benefits, but morale matters too.
Ht: The Blaze.
[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]
The UN when innocent Libyans are being carpet – bombed in the streets: “tsk, tsk – we’ll have to convene a council and decide what statement to issue.”
The UN when a BBC news crew is roughed up and tortured: “OH NOES! THE LIBYAN DICTATOR MUST BE STOPPED!!!”
Dmac (b9fd74) — 3/10/2011 @ 8:11 amdmac
good point. there is a double standard.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 3/10/2011 @ 8:24 amIf only we had a real president instead of this communist wannabe.
cubanbob (409ac2) — 3/10/2011 @ 8:41 amJust target that bastard Quadaffi and blow his azz to Mars. We owe it to the many American victims he has had killed over the years.
The Libyans deserve our support. They’re doing what we should have done here in 2001-09.
Zoubida (0692b1) — 3/10/2011 @ 9:11 amThe administration has no independent confirmation of the attacks, aside from what is being reported to the media.
MayBee (081489) — 3/10/2011 @ 9:44 amI can’t believe anyone thinks it’s a good idea to get involved in ANY way! Haven’t we learned that once in, it’s extremely hard to get out?! The first friendly fire incident, the entire mess becomes OURS, everything will be our fault. Colin Powell’s Pottery Barn comment comes to mind. It is not worth putting ONE US pilot at risk…the media risk much to get stories like this out, and I applaud their bravery, but this alleged attack should have no bearing on whether the US should get involved or not.
Ellen (a13e9f) — 3/10/2011 @ 11:00 am***********
“”The Libyans deserve our support. They’re doing what we should have done here in 2001-09.
Comment by Zoubida — 3/10/2011 @ 9:11 am””
***********
The Libyans deserve nothing – certainly not on their own despicable merits – and they are definitely not deserving of American blood, and it WILL ultimately come to that.
Any conflict with and within Libya will end badly because the Zoubadis of the World support stuff like this. Those kinds of people always believe in making war on the cheap, wars that are “surgical”.
Wars that are “clean”.
Wars in which THEY keep their hands clean.
And if their pie-in-the-sky war doesn’t materialize in reality, they wash their hands, pretend they had nothing to do with it, and point the silent finger at people like me “You didn’t live up to my expectations”.
FU.
And who gets left holding the bag? Who has to try to salvage the situation for America’s national security, its Deterence – its Honor – with their lives?
Not the Zoubidas of the world who will be too busy preening over their self-righteous faux-morality as they silently criticize and pull political support (at a very safe distance) from the grunts who are better and braver and doing the dirty work.
We saw it in Iraq from supposedly “conservative” people who “support the troops”.
Only the most faithful of Americans (I would say 20% of America), including President Bush, held the line and gave us the time we needed to secure the Victory.
We’re seeing it in Afghanistan, with a CINC who’s more interested in marginalizing his own troops than he is in Victory.
You want to go to war with Libya?
Fine.
Grow up and get a real job and learn about “duty”.
Get married and learn what “commitment” is.
Become a pillar of society (a worker bee, not an “intellectual”) and learn that nothing is free of consequence.
Have children and learn to worry about their future, hoping the country remains strong to secure their future and THEIR children’s future.
And maybe along the way – just maybe – you’ll come to realize that
“You know what? This way of life’s worth going to war over.”
When you’re ready to kill Iraqis, Afghans and – yes – Libyans for the right reasons, then come to people like me and talk about real war.
But “Libyans deserve our support”?
STFU
Rykehaven (35fbab) — 3/10/2011 @ 11:26 amawesome comment, rykehaven.
Dustin (c16eca) — 3/10/2011 @ 11:31 amalso, z’s comparing Bush to qaddafi is so stupid, I guess it’s some kind of impotent display of hysterical unfairness. like most kman screeds or those Walker=Hitler signs.
Its peculiar becuase its too obviously stupid and wrong and horrible to possibly persuade anyone. these folks have resigned to showing us we’re hated because they know they have been exposed.
Dustin (c16eca) — 3/10/2011 @ 11:40 amI bonk you on your little journalist head
happyfeet (a55ba0) — 3/10/2011 @ 11:47 amGreat comment, Rykehaven…not much to say after that.
Ellen (a13e9f) — 3/10/2011 @ 11:49 am#7 Amen.
Torquemada (2a42d3) — 3/10/2011 @ 11:58 amBBC Newsman got hurt! What animals!!!!!!!
Time to send in the nukes and raze the place like the Romans did after the Punic Wars!
Torquemada (2a42d3) — 3/10/2011 @ 12:00 pm“Not much to say that hasn’t already been said, but it is still outrageous:”
Is this more outrageous than any other beating by a tyrant’s thugs? No! Journalists don’t wear or deserve to wear magic robes of invincibility and neutrality. Carrying a camera and notebook doesn’t exempt someone from moral standards (cf. Dan Rather), legal standards (bogus “shield laws”), or, surprise! being enemies of the state.
tehag (02d37b) — 3/10/2011 @ 1:06 pmB-but what about king’s ties to the IRA which we used to consider freedom fighters until now.
/Kturdman
He no longer supports them
/Me
STFU you waaaaaaaaacist nazi
/Kturdman
DohBiden (984d23) — 3/10/2011 @ 2:00 pmComment by Dustin — 3/10/2011 @ 11:40 am
kishnevi (fb9343) — 3/10/2011 @ 2:16 pmIs Zoubida referring to the US? My first reading of that was to think the reference (in light of the Moslem sounding name) was to somewhere in the Middle East/Central Asia.
If the reference is to the US, then I think we have conclusive proof that Zoubida suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.
Wait, I found Zoubida’s comment in the NPR Ombudsman thread.
https://patterico.com/2011/03/10/reckless-disregard-for-the-truth-my-incredible-interchange-with-the-npr-ombudsman/#comment-762493
Paranoid schizophrenia it is.
kishnevi (fb9343) — 3/10/2011 @ 2:20 pmGreat comment Rykehaven. You are probably too young, but it was the same during the Vietnam era when we came home.
James (4455ff) — 3/10/2011 @ 2:31 pmZoubida supports overthrowing bush?
I thought he loved him some democracy?
Guess he is a phony.
DohBiden (984d23) — 3/10/2011 @ 3:30 pmRykehaven
War is a horrible thing, however not having oil, watching worldwide unrest occur because we let liberals run amok in this country and in Europe, is going to lead to much much more.
Flying air cover is no big deal, we have the best equipped airforce in the world, not doing it is surrendering to the war on terror
Or you could take up jogging because thats how most of you soon, are going to be traveling.
You are right – it is time to grow up
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 3:35 pmI cannot foresee the ripple effect throughout our economy, if a wave of uncertainty, strikes 40% of the worlds oil supply.
Even in an emergency overdrive (carrier Yorktown at Midway style) repair and infrastructure blitz were to get the green light in the USA, we could not conceivably replace lost production to the world markets in less than 6 years
6 years of horrible times for Americs.
So its easy to make patriotic sounding screeds, the reality is quite different
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 3:44 pmNothing like a little self-important sanctimonious preaching from a serial fabulist.
JD (b98cae) — 3/10/2011 @ 4:11 pmI wonder of those BBC reporters, as they were beaten and kicked, wondered in their hearts what they had done to so offend the Libyans?
Pious Agnostic (f24095) — 3/10/2011 @ 4:23 pmPious – no doubt they wondered “Whyis this happening to us?! We are only trying to help”
JD (b98cae) — 3/10/2011 @ 4:42 pmJD
Are you still financially supporting someone who put Pats family deliberately in Danger?
Just to set the record straight right?
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 4:47 pmI want a cigarette
happyfeet (a55ba0) — 3/10/2011 @ 4:50 pmIf Patrick has a problem with me, I will address it with him. You are just a tard of thunder, a soi pissant that regurgitates your memes much like how nishi used to.
JD (d48c3b) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:00 pmJD
whining?
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:05 pmJD
I think people might have a problem with someone financially supporting someone who slandered, physically threatened to hurt someone on this blog, and leaked emails to this person, and much much more
You make assumptions about my character, I just point your out
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:08 pmI make no assumptions about your lack of character. You demonstrate it quite clearly for everyone to see. You haven’t accused me a issuing death threats recently. Better not forget that one. Or my being a Democrat. Or the millions of Jews in Iran. You are slipping. Oh, how could I forget, the Christian majorities. In UAE and a couple other countries. And Palin being a racist. Good Allah, the depths of your mendoucheity seem even greater when you spell it out. How about Scozzafava being a true conservative? Or the TEA party costing Team R the senate.
JD (85b089) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:17 pmGood old EricPWJohnson, he sure likes to distract attention. But that majority of Christians in UAE was my favorite bit of bizarre lying recently, yes.
Simon Jester (87fb95) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:27 pmOh, how could I forget, the Christian majorities. In UAE and a couple other countries.
Did he really say that? Excuse me a minute while I put my jaw back in place; it kind of hit the ground in disbelief.
No need to provide citations–I remember the rest of the stuff you refer to, I just don’t remember that one.
Perhaps my diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia should apply to him and not Zoubida.
kishnevi (437df2) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:31 pmJD
So, in other words, you are still knowingly supporting someone who has done those things, willingly
we get it….
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:34 pmkshnevi
There are millions of guest workers in the UAE, Qatar, Oman – since a few years back they made the switch to Philippinos, and Vietnamese, mostly from the south.
Qatar has about 65,000 Qatari’s 250,000 stateless arabs and over a million non-muslims in the Country
UAE, in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the expat population way exceeds the locals
Allahpundit has written about the churches that have ben built in these countrys
yep churches –
google christian today article in 2009 estimated over 150,000 Philippino’s alone worshipping, and only Saudi is banning Christian houses of worship – but a cathederal is planned and will eventually open
A Gulf news articel in 2008 listed 34 churches in the UAE with congregations from 1000 to 10,000 EACH
Reports are that the number of churches has doubled, there are under construction in Qatar.
Also, the UAE is considering allowing open practice of religion as they allow the celebration of religious festivals openly now
google it
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:46 pmthere are 6 under construction in Qatar
EricPWJohnson (6a2bb1) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:47 pmSaudi Arabia is run by royal pervert trash it’s a problem
happyfeet (ab5779) — 3/10/2011 @ 5:59 pmYes, but the tribes of the Nejd and Asir, affiliated with the Ilkwan are much worse.
narciso (a3a9aa) — 3/10/2011 @ 6:01 pmwhen two tribes go to war a point is all that you can score Mr. narciso*
happyfeet (ab5779) — 3/10/2011 @ 6:06 pmYeah, Kishnevi. It’s true. Eric is special. Truthfully, I think he sees something, or has some thought about how something ought to be, and then that is…just..the..way…it…is.
Haven’t we all seen that a lot from the gentleman?
And I like the “Google it” business. Shades of Rosie O’Donnell.
But indeed he did write that arrant nonsense about Christians becoming a majority in several Middle Eastern Islamic nations, in another thread.
As for “Googling” things:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates
But that doesn’t matter. First he will shuffle up the expat issue, then will change the subject. And is doing so now, right?
Still, look at his history, on so very many topics. Honestly, did you expect anything different? Truly?
Best to ignore him, or at least chuckle and move on. “Outnumbering Christians” indeed. He should try to hand out Bibles there.
But you see, he works over there. He knows things!
Even when he “Googles.”
Simon Jester (87fb95) — 3/10/2011 @ 6:06 pmThe yurps want a no-fly zone but they can’t do it. So they want us to do it. And then they’ll try to haul our troops off to the ICC. Win-win for them.
Richard Aubrey (59fa91) — 3/10/2011 @ 6:11 pmThis is nice, too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Qatar
8.5% of the population. That’s right: a majority.
But all this is silly. The guy will start frothing at the mouth again.
Still, I appreciate his reminding people to “Google” it. Indeed, I did.
Simon Jester (87fb95) — 3/10/2011 @ 6:12 pmSimon–he seems to make the elementary mistake of forgetting that many Vietnamese are Buddhists, not Christians.
And one source is a government allied newspaper. In the Middle East, that’s not a sign of credibility.
However, I take his stats with a shaker of salt, if you please, ever since he claimed that millions of Jews lived in Iran. There was a time when what is now Iran ruled over the largest population of Jews in the world; but that was the time when what is now Iraq was part of the Persian, Parthian and Sassanid empires; and even on the time scale of Jewish history that’s more than a little while ago.
(Oh, I have it. He meant Iraq, but mistyped the name of the country!)
Of course, he might be using the medieval view of Islam as a Christian schism (as exemplified by Dante, who placed Mohammed and Ali in the part of Hell devoted to punishing leaders and provokers of schism and faction). In which case not on the UAE but Saudi Arabia and all other Muslim countries really have Christian majorities.
kishnevi (437df2) — 3/10/2011 @ 7:04 pmWhat a great post, Rykehaven! I loved every word, it’s worthy of more than just a comment section, I must say.
It was interesting though, that Zoubida apparently hated Obama’s first year in office as much as he hated Bush’s years. I suppose the “2009” was only a typo, but I’ve enjoyed watching people get tripped up for the past year now that they can’t parrot “the previous eight years” “squawk” “previous eight years” “squawk” line.
Christi (56e150) — 3/10/2011 @ 7:41 pmMeanwhile back on the farm;
http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/03/10/the-latest-from-a-source-inside-the-egyptian-demonstrations/
narciso (a3a9aa) — 3/10/2011 @ 7:58 pmNo, *two* more years until we get a PotUS who isn’t suffering from Cranio-Rectal Insertion Syndrome (CRIS).
After that, we get a rational policy towards development of domestic sources. Then another year and it’s fixed. So call it three.
IgotBupkis, President, United Anarchist Society (c9dcd8) — 3/11/2011 @ 12:58 am