The Libyan Spring

Disturbing reports of violence are emerging from Libya, the latest in a string of Arab states to see a popular rising of the population. Libya has been ruled by Muammar al-Gaddafi, known commonly in the west as Colonel Gaddafi since he led an overthrow of the Libyan monarchy in 1969.

Gadaffi - Fighting back (Free Image)

The Libyan people's rise against Gaddafi’s 42 year rule comes on the back of popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt - revolutions which have led to the ending of the regimes in both of those countries.

Much of Libya is reported to now be outside the control of the regime, rioting and protests have been reported in the capital.

The protests began on February 15 with a small demonstration in Libya’s second city of Benghazi. The government cracked down severely on the demonstrators. Two days later the Libyan opposition called for a “Day of rage” across the country.

The Day of rage turned into a day of carnage when the regime deployed helicopter gunships, elite troops, sniper teams and allegedly foreign mercenaries against its own people. The use of live ammunition including rocket attacks caused an estimated 150 deaths, a figure reported to be “conservative” by Benghazi residents interviewed by Al Jazeera.

In the following days protests have escalated spreading across the entire country and into the capital, Tripoli. Despite reporting restrictions by the Libyan regime, which are far more excessive than those during the recent Egyptian revolution, reports state that the violence being displayed by the regime have intensified and those loyalists to Gaddafi are essentially waging a war against their own people.

Libya's day of rage (From Dailymail.co.uk)

While The United Kingdom has been swift to condemn the Libyan regime for its use of violence, there is the matter of weapons and equipment supplied by this country possibly being used by Gadaffi's troops.

After Libya accepted responsibility for the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, an atrocity which claimed the lives of 270 people, former Prime Minister Tony Blair flew to Libya to “reset” relations with the country. In return for a normalisation of diplomatic and trade ties with the West, Gaddafi formally gave up the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

Dirty money, Blair and Gaddafi(Image from mypetgoat.co.uk)

The economic packages between the UK and Libya, which gave BP oil exploration rights in the country, also included the sale of water cannon, crowd control equipment, helicopter parts, sniper rifles and military computers. In addition to the millions in military sales at least 150 British companies, including British Airways, HSBC and Marks & Spencer, now do business in Libya.

With his country in uproar and the world united in condemnation, Gaddafi appeared on state television on February 21 to quash the rumours that he had fled the country for Venezuela. With his regime seemingly now doomed Gadaffi was quoted as aiming to “fight to the last bullet” and as a result the Libyan revolution looks set to be far bloodier than anything yet seen.