Libyan revolutionaries have captured the Bab al-Aziziya compound of deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi. CNN’s Sara Sidner reported it live and on site (video here). The revolutionaries delieriously fired their weapons in the air in a crescendo of celebratory fire.
The compound was one of a handful of pockets of resistance remaining in the capital where Qaddafi loyalists held out. Another is out at the Mitiga air force base and airport in the east.
It is not clear if Qaddafi and other members of his family were in the compound. It is alleged to be honeycombed with underground tunnels and there is a four-story underground bunker. If they were there, they escaped.
The revolutionaries at one point said they had three Qaddafi sons in custody, but at least two, Muhammad and Saif al-Islam, escaped. Apparently the naive revolutionaries put them under house arrest, but their houses had escape tunnels.
Saif did an impromptu interview with Matthew Chance of CNN and another later with Aljazeera. In the Aljazeera one he announced victory over what he characterized as the thugs brought in by sea by NATO transport planes. Then he said f**k the International Criminal Court and walked off into the night. Saif al-Islam Qaddafi was said to be the real ruler of Libya in recent years, but is also said to be flaky and unable to make decisions or keep promises. From what we saw on screen, he suffers from something of the same mental problems as his father– paranoia, denial of reality, aggressiveness. Falling Dictator Syndrome.
If you had been the ruler of Libya and been given the great boon of an escape, if you were wise you would go underground and keep your enemy guessing. Coming on television is suicide by narcissism. It relieves me that the Qaddafis are somewhat unlikely to be capable of fighting any sort of rear guard battle. Out of power, their daffiness should become apparent to everyone.
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