Just to be on the safe side, I'll say both.
Actually, no one knows what's going on except from the dribs and drabs of info leaking out of the country. And no one knows how reliable that information actually is.
What we do know is that rioting and street battles have spread to the capitol of Tripoli - an ominous sign for Gaddafi because Tripoli is supposed to be very pro-dictator.
Reports of some in the army switching sides are more plausible today given the resignation of two high ranking ambassadors. Some news outlets - al-Jazeera and the BBC - report that Benghazi, the second largest city in Libya, is under the control of the protestors. But reports of Gaddafi leaving the country are apparently bogus.
Still, we can say with certainty that the Crazy Colonel has never been challenged like this in 41 years of rule, and that a lot more blood will be spilled before the situation resolves itself.
The BBC:
Libya's envoy to the Arab League, Abdel Moneim al-Honi, announced he was "joining the revolution" and its ambassador to India, Ali al-Essawi, told the BBC he was resigning in protest against his government's violent crackdown on demonstrators.Mohamed Bayou, who until a month ago was chief spokesman for the Libyan government, said the leadership was wrong to threaten violence against its opponents.
"I hope that [Col Gaddafi's son Saif] will... change his speech to acknowledge the existence of an internal popular opposition, to enter into dialogue with them regarding thorough changes in the Libyan system," Mr Bayou said in a statement obtained by the Reuters news agency that appeared to indicate disagreement within the ruling elite.
In another blow to Col Gaddafi's rule, two tribes - including Libya's largest tribe, the Warfla - have backed the protesters.
The army hasn't turned - yet. But with larger and larger segments of the population backing the revolution, Gaddafi is going to need them to regain the total control he enjoyed just a few short days ago.
Share