The reasons for France to intervene in Mali

Just when their leaders were defining a new strategy of "hands off" in Africa , France has been pushed to the front line of one of the riskiest battlefields of the continent in the deep desert of Mali.The support of President François Hollande air strikes to stop the advance of Islamist rebels on the capital, Bamako, raised the threat level for eight French hostages held by al Qaeda allies in the Sahara and the 30,000 French expatriates living in neighboring countries, mostly Muslim. It also could cause an attack on French soil . However, in what could be the most important decision of his presidency's foreign policy, Hollande bet that doing nothing was a greater risk of the creation of a jihadist state like Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. "We must stop the offensive of the rebels, Mali otherwise all fall into their hands, creating a threat to Africa and even Europe," said Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, journalists to justify supporting the ruined National Army Mali. For months, military planners had been working in Paris in a discrete and limited support to an African mission to expel planned later this year to the Islamists of the former French colony. That scenario was suddenly disrupted on Thursday when the rebels captured the central city of Konna , which is the gateway to Bamako, 600 miles to the south. Mali's army helpless, Hollande ordered military strikes early in his career. Now France has deployed 550 troops, transport aircraft C-160, attack helicopters and combat aircraft Rafale is on alert. The intervention came just weeks after Paris failed in his attempt to rescue the titular leader of the Central African Republic, another former colony, leaving President François Bozizé no choice but to accept a power-sharing pact with insurgents who threaten to take control of the mineral-rich country. Hollande's government made ​​it clear that, on entering Mali, France was not picking up old habits. His presence is legitimized by the UN resolutions demanding foreign intervention to support the forces of Mali and adopted by African leaders themselves were angry in 2001 when France and Britain ordered NATO air strikes in Libya to overthrow to Muammar Gaddafi. United States and Britain have also expressed their support, and even most of the opposition Conservatives say Hollande in France did the right thing. Shocking reports of public amputations in the rebel northern Mali, where imposed harsh Islamic law, sharia , will persuade many French voters that the intervention was fair. To come to the aid of the Malian Army, Hollande defied threats from allies of the rebels, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), killing the French hostages captured along the Sahara in recent years. After a failed French command last week to rescue a secret agent, held in Somalia since 2009, will now be very difficult for him to ensure his safety. With some of the rebel fighters from Mali living with their families, the greatest risk are the collateral damage that could undermine local and foreign support to the mission. They have also raised fears of reprisals against large French expatriate communities living in neighboring Muslim countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal. But what really would change the political course is the threat of an attack in France, home to Europe's largest Muslim population, with about five million people. France is fully aware of the risk of radicalization after a gunman killed al Qaeda-inspired city of Toulouse in seven people in March. Stressing that the threat is taken very seriously, Hollande said Saturday it was stepping up security measures in transport and in public places in France.

Libya and Iran, issues Obama-Romney debate

The current president and Democratic nominee Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney , seek the tiebreaker in the third and last debate before the election, which will be held on November 6 in the United States. The topic of discussion at this meeting will be the foreign policy of the country with regard, in particular, to Libya, Iran and Afghanistan. The meeting will take place on Monday at the Lynn University, in South Florida. Specifically, the 90-minute debate, moderated by veteran television journalist Bob Schieffer CBS, will be divided into six segments: the U.S. role in the world , the war inAfghanistan , Israel and Iran , the changes in the Middle East and the new face ofterrorism , the rise of China and the world of the future. Regarding Libya , candidates will vote on relations with rebels sectors after the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in October last year , taking into account the assassination of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens in September. Afghanistan will be a controversial topic for the continuity of the troops in the country, while Iran is in the eye of the storm for its nuclear threats and pressures on Israel, U.S. strategic ally. Romney accuses Obama of lack of determination and "inconsistency" and blames him for not having enough "tough" with China and Iran , as well as to pursue the support of the Security Council of the United Nations in its policies towards Syria and " waver "in its commitment to allies like Israel. The debate will run in a particular context. This Saturday, the New York Times published a story according to which U.S. and Iran have provided direct dialogue over Tehran's nuclear program after the elections. This information was denied by the White House , but it could have aroused some suspicion in the electorate. In the previous television duel, conducted last week, the media proclaimed Obama as the winner , although the first flowers were for Romney . On Monday, not only will have the last word face to face in view of the elections, but that balance will tilt towards one of the two. According to a survey by the chain NBC by the Wall Street Journal , which was published on Sunday, the candidates for president of the United States has 47 percent of likely voters each. The survey also indicated a "slight advantage" of  Romney  in  key states  that could determine the outcome of the  presidential elections , although in total there is a dead heat between Obama and Republican. The tight race generates an atmosphere of unpredictability to the last round of the campaign and raises the importance of the  last meeting between candidates  on Monday night in Boca Raton, Florida.

Libya: Fighting in Bani Walid , confusion gadafistas arrests

Confusion reigned in Libya after contradictory official statements gadafistas arrests while fighting in the country's west left dozens dead and wounded when a year after the death of Muammar Gaddafi. On the occasion of this anniversary, the authorities estimated that the country was not "fully liberated" from Gaddafi's regime, citing the city of Bani Walid, where renewed fighting between rebel fighters and former gadafistas left at least 26 dead and over 200 injured. The prime minister's office said in a brief statement the arrest of one of the last supporters of Muammar Gaddafi, his spokesman Musa Ibrahim, "by transitional government forces at a roadblock Tarhuna", between Tripoli and Bani Walid. Hours later, the authorities seemed to recant and Ibrahim Musa denied himself arrested in an audio recording posted on the Internet. "Regarding reports of my arrest, this is an attempt to divert attention from the crimes committed by NATO rebels against our people in Bani Walid," he said in a recording whose authenticity could not be verified. Rumors circulated contradictory announcements and also on the detention of other officials of the former regime, including Khamis , Gaddafi's youngest son, as yours for dead in October 2011. This confusion coincides with the first anniversary of the death of Muammar Gaddafi, on October 20, 2011, after a revolution started in mid-February of this year that soon became armed conflict.

The fate of Gaddafi, a year after his death

Three of his eight  children died Those who survived had different fates. His widow sought refuge in Algeria , while his son Saif al Islam  awaits trial in Libya. Of the eight biological children of Khadafi, three died during the rebellion:  Said al Arab (April 2011), Khamis (August 2011) and Mutassim (October 2011) , as well as former national security advisor,  Mutassim Gaddafi, who was killed by the rebels on the same day that Muammar Gaddafi. Another four-Saadi Gaddafi sons, Mohammed, Aisha and Hannibal-have escaped to Algeria and Niger. And the virtual successor to Gaddafi, his second son, Saif al-Islam, his whereabouts are unknown.

Safiya Gadhafi (wife)

Safiya Farkas , the mother of seven of the eight biological children of Gaddafi in August 2011 fled to Algeria with his son Hannibal , his son Mohammed , and his daughter Aisha, after being awarded the refuge under " humane conditions " , and before you kill Gaddafi, the October 20, 2011. According to the BBC account, it is believed that now lives in a house in Staoueli, near Algiers, the Algerian government strict orders not to make public political statements or interfere in Libyan affairs.

Muhammad Gaddafi (son)

If the rebels had not overthrown Gaddafi,  Muhammad could have gone to the London Olympics,  he was the president of the Libyan Olympic Committee. He's with his mother in Algeria . Muhammad is the  son of Gaddafi with his first wife, Fathia.  was also the president of domestic mail and the state telecommunications company. He was not charged by the  International Criminal Court  and is not believed to have played an important role in attempts to dispel the uprisings last year.

Saif al Islam Gaddafi (son)

Gaddafi's second son, who was believed to be his former heir, Saif al Islam,  was captured a month after the death of his father  and has since been held in the mountain town of Zintan.  Saif al Islam, a graduate of  The London School of Economics , is the center of a protracted dispute between the  International Criminal Court, where he is accused of crimes against humanity, and Libyan courts, insisting that should be tried in that country. The rebels seem to have won the battle, but still not set a date for trial.  When his father lived  headed Saif  Gaddafi Foundation for Development. In 2006 he left the country after criticizing his father's regime. Two years later he returned. Always said not wanting to be the heir of his father in power. It was the television to come forward "rivers of blood" against protesters.

Saadi Gaddafi (son)

 

Saadi Gadhafi,  head of the Libyan Football Federation and the Special Forces of Libya, found refuge  in Niger, where consguió asylum. He lives in a state guest in Niamey, after fleeing by the Sahara desert. Niger has rejected extradition requests Libyan rebels, fearing that they will condemn  "certain (...) to the death penalty." Saadi  was  sporting face family  when his father was alive . He is 37 years old. He had a brief stint in the Italian first division. In 2003 he played for Perugia just one game because he failed a drug test. In 2005 he played 10 minutes for Udinese. In season 2006-2007 was part of the Sampdoria squad but did not play.  In September, Interpol issued a red notice since his capture requires member countries that are part of the institution. In August, two months before he killed his father,  SAADI is contacted with a CNN reporter to ask him to act as an intermediary with the rebels and asked for a ceasefire.

Aisha Gaddafi, (daughter)

 

Aisha Gadhafi , the only daughter of Colonel by birth, was the refuge of Algeria with her ​​mother and brother. Three days after his arrival it was learned that she had given birth to a baby girl, whom she named Safiya in honor of his mother. Aisha became  lawyer of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. headed an organization that also defended Muntadhar al-Zaid i, the man who in 2010 threw a shoe at former President George W. Bush, shouting: "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog." Quiet profile,  Aisha was ambassador for the UN peace  until that office was suspended after the UN resolution 1973, which established an arms embargo and a freeze of their assets. Despite being under strict surveillance by the Government of Algeria, who is interested in her to stay silent, never appeared once a Syrian television to ask the Libyans to rebel against the rebels in the government. He also hired an Israeli lawyer, Nick Kaufman, to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate the death of his father .

Hanaa Khadafi (adopted daughter)

Muammar Gaddafi said several times that her adopted daughter Hanaa had died in a U.S. air strike in 1986, when he was 18 months old. However, since the death of Gaddafi have been several rumors that she is still alive, but his current location is unknown. There have been video footage of Hanaa playing with his father and brothers several years after the bombing. They also found in the complex of Bab al Aziziyah Khadafi some medical documents and even a British Council certificate under the name of Muammar Gaddafi Hanaa. Sources report that Libya Hanaa studied medicine and worked at the Tripoli Medical Center for several years.

Contributors close to the government of Gaddafi

As it happened that on the anniversary of the assassination of Gaddafi has announcedthe whereabouts  of Moussa Ibrahim, who was the face of the Gaddafi government to the outside world.  was arrested in the city of Tarhuna , 90 kilometers southeast of Tripoli , when he was arrested by militiamen in an area known as Um Al Rashrash.

I used to make almost daily statements to reporters and said the regime would defeat even as the rebel offensive entered the capital. The same clan that Khadafi, Ibrahim studied at several British universities and said he had lived in London for 15 years. The last time he was seen was in Tripoli just before was taken by opposition forces. There have been several rumors about his arrest, the most recent in January 2012, but all have proven false. Who was  one of the most powerful men of the Gaddafi regime, former intelligence chief and former Foreign Minister  Musa Kusa , defected after the rebellion rebellious and traveled to Britain from Tunisia.

He now lives in Qatar, a country that supported the rebels who killed Gaddafi .

Book describes alleged use of sex as a weapon of power by Gaddafi

A new book by a French journalist described the former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi , who died in 2011, as a "sexual predator" who kidnapped and raped her, according to the author, "thousands" of victims, including men. Until Libyan ministers, military, actresses and wives of presidents and African diplomats have suffered sexual abuse by Gaddafi, says journalist Annick Cojean, special reporter of the daily Le Monde. Gadhafi, who has ruled Libya for 42 years, had an unbridled sexuality, with impulses that needed to be met four times per day, according to the author, who based his book on reports made by victims, teachers, doctors and former employees of dictator. Cojean account in the book "Les Proies - Dans le harem of Gaddafi" (Prey - In Gaddafi's harem) that the former leader had employees seeking girls, and sometimes boys too, everywhere, like schools, Holidays homes and villages. "Gaddafi watching videos of weddings to select girls, so when he did not choose his own bride. Many Libyans were hesitant to invite him to parties for fear that their daughters were taken then," said Cojean the French media during the promotion work the book. She said the former leader also sexually abused celebrities, journalists, generals daughters or wives of politicians, sometimes through the use of force. In other cases, distributing bags of jewels and money later. "Gadhafi forced some ministers to have sex with him to control them by a kind of blackmail. Course no one was interested in talking about this total humiliation. He proceeded similarly with tribal leaders, diplomats and military influence to have about them, "he says. One of the interviewees in the book, Mansour Daw, a former security chief and cousin of Gaddafi, who is in prison, does not deny those aspects of the scheme and claims to have performed the marriage of his son discreetly, banning the use of cell phones to avoid that Gadhafi could see pictures from the party. "I did not want my family were a victim of their acts," Daw said the journalist, the book says.

"Magic Touch"

During events such as school visits, Gadhafi himself could also designate a teenager to put his hand on his head, claims the journalist. "It was a code for their guards, signaling that he wanted the girl, usually in the range of 13 to 15 years old," says Cojean. The "signal" given by Gaddafi to his guards was called, she said, the "magic touch". "These young people served to feed his sexual brutality. He kept them in the basement of his home in Bab al-Azizia (a fortified barracks), and raping, forcing them to drink, get high and watch porn," says Cojean. The underground sequestration of residence, with numerous rooms, could last a few days or much longer. As the turnover was huge, Cojean says it is impossible to know the exact number of victims. "This is the most sordid harem terrible taboo the years Gaddafi. Today, despite the death of the former leader, victims still have everything to lose if he revealed the secret, "says the journalist. "The social and religious pressure is very strong. They will be rejected and their families as well. Fathers, brothers and husbands are considered sub-human because they did not wash the honor with blood," said Cojean.

AIDS testing

According to the book, Ukrainian nurses performed blood tests on the victims to make sure they did not have AIDS, since Qaddafi had strong fears of contracting the disease. The doctor Faisel Krekshi appointed dean of the University of Tripoli after the revolution, told journalists have discovered in the building of the institution a "bachelor" with jacuzzi and golden taps. According to the journalist, he said he found on site eight or nine DVDs with images of sexual assaults committed by Gaddafi, but said it had destroyed the material to preserve the victims. Across the room, there was a gynecological examination room fully equipped, the journalist who claims to have visited. "I see only two possibilities of utilizing this hidden room: abortions and hymen reconstruction surgeries, banned in Libya," said Krekshi.

Amazon

Before writing the book, Cojean was published last year, a report in Le Monde about the girl Soraya, who after delivering flowers to Gaddafi during a visit to her school when she was 15, received the "magic touch". The girl, who lived in Sirte, Gaddafi's hometown, was taken the next day by three women and has been for five years his sex slave. Soraya was part of the team that were welded safety of Gaddafi and accompanied by all sides. In the West, these women, disguised and sculptural, were called "Amazons". "This guard Gadhafi was a facade. They were his sex slaves and there were really very few military training. Their real security was held by men," says the author. To Cojean, Gaddafi has used sex as a political weapon. "Taking means women dominate men," she says. The book will be released this month in Libya. "I think it will cause a huge shock and debates in the country," says Cojean.