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Khaled Elfiqi / EPA
A Libyan rebel soldier stands guard at their position on the road between Ajdabiya and Benghazi, Eastern Libya, 24 March. According to Libyan media sources, rebels vowed they would reclaim Ajdabiya, just west of the opposition stronghold Benghazi, by nightfall.
"Most of these 'rebels' were civilians only weeks ago, professional people, from all walks of life, who wanted to take advantage of the wave of change elsewhere to press for reforms so that all tribes in Libya got a fair shake," says veteran NBC News correspondent Jim Maceda.
Anja Niedringhaus / AP
A Libyan rebel takes a nap on a checkpoint on the frontline near Zwitina, the outskirts of the city of Ajdabiya, south of Benghazi, eastern Libya, Thursday, March 24.
"But when those early protests were crused - often by live fire - many of these protesters took up arms for the first time," Maceda says. "They are at a great disadvantage on the field of battle, reading manuals as they fight. A couple of army units defected to their side and really run the milittary operations. it's very hard to give figures on support for the rebels versus khaddafi's regime, as there are no elections here, no reliable polling and no free press. these are the goals of the opposition, now called rebels. Perhaps a better term would be 'revolutionaries' or 'minute men'."
Anja Niedringhaus / AP
A Libyan rebel takes a rest on a checkpoint on frontline near Zwitina, the outskirts of the city of Ajdabiya, south of Benghazi, eastern Libya, Thursday, March 24.
Aris Messinis / AFP - Getty Images
A Libyan rebel rests, a few kilometers on the road to Ajdabiya on March 24, as they try to retake the strategic eastern oil town from troops loyal to Moamer Kadhafi.
Aris Messinis / AFP - Getty Images
A Libyan rebel looks through binoculars as he prepares for battle against Kadhafi's loyal forces on March 24, a few kilometers from the key city of Ajdabiya as UN Secretary-General called today on both sides to cease fire, as the Security Council prepares to hold a new meeting on the crisis.
Veteran NBC News correspondent Jim Maceda has been in Tripoli reporting on the conflict for several weeks. He answered your questions about the conflict in Libya and what its like to cover the story. You can replay the chat here or view more images from Libya in our slideshow.
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I've never seen rebels attack other forces with a fleet of Chevy pickups but what the hell, if it sells trucks, it sells trucks.
I've seen mostly TOYOTA s. Shouldn't these corporations be paying sponsor logo FEES!
Toyotas are the preferred trucks of the Taliban, too; reliability is important to everyone!
Actually picking up my new Toyota tomorrow! cant beat the reliability!
no offense to the guy in the next to the last picture, but he looks like some kind of insect in my garden, or an alien invader from zoltar. what's with the face thingy what's it thingy anyway?
anywho good luck fella's and kick the sh it out of Gahdaffy Duck there.
oh yeah and the first one too. sort of missed him.
I am offended. I think Gadhaffi's rebels are stupid for betraying their own government and the US is also stupid to!
well im just guessing here but it could be worn to keep the sun from burning your face or maybe hide the identity.
It's a face mask that combines a dust cover to keep sand out of the lungs and strong sun shield glasses. Additionally by splashing water on the cover it helps to cool the body.
Frans and JohS i know. just joking around. these guys are brave i give them a hell of a lot of credit.I HOPE THEY WIN!
and you divorceriade, Gadaffy duck is the one that's stupid.he's a vicious piece of crap. anybody that turns on their own people and is doing what this vile viper is doing, deserves to be blown straight to HELL.
oh and i hope Lucifer has a place reserved for him.
lol yeah earlier i saw a man in one of the Libya slideshows and he had HUGE goggles on. They were like jumbo-sized.
But it must be to keep the sun and sand out of their eyes. To keep their skin from getting burned maybe, perhaps it's why they are wearing the masks. And they're white, so maybe it's to keep heat away from their faces since they're outside so much right now. Poor guys :(
Nobama says Gaduffy has to go .When are we Americans going to say Nobama has to go .God bless this country.
Well blowhard, you have the option of voting, more than the Libyans can say. And I assume that you'd like to see some maroon like Huck or Palin in office? Send in the clowns, yeehaw!
Perhaps that's to hide the fact that he's not a local fellow at all, maybe a paid mercenary, who knows, Iran would be quite willing to send them....
Indeed, why hide your entire face, including facial features with no enemy around? Perhaps Russian mercenaries are working both sides?
This is a huge win for Iran--and a huge loss for the West.
Gadha = Donkey (in South Asia).
Before WW2 Italy was Libya's colonial master. During WW2 allies seized Libya from Italy but then gave it independence in 1951 - allowing King Idris to rule (Britain has monarchy). Quickly, in 1952 King Idris abolished all political parties. In 1969 Colonel Gadhafi staged a coup and banished King Idris. He and his sons have ruled now for 42 years. He's like a monarch and doesn't want to leave.
Son Saif Gadhafi's PhD thesis written while he was a student at the London School of Economics, "called for greater democracy in global governance and criticized undemocratic governments". But he is being accused of plagiarism for many things he wrote in that thesis. Plus his father is Libya's dictator violently oppressing his subjects
Let's get ready to rumble!
In this corner, a despot, a thief of his country's fortunes, a megalomanic, and murdered of innocent civilians, (no--not Bush this time---Ghadafi). In the other corner--those with a hunger to be free plus $B's of US taxpayers money and $3.22 from the EU and $.03 from The Arab League.
We could say the same thing about our own revolution, we did not do it solely on our own..... And much like them, we were poorly equipped and not trained.
Well I hope they'll make it and beat the tar out of Gadaffi.
Betraying their government?.......No, longing for freedom just like we did back when king George ruled us from England.
People all over the world long for freedom from tyranny and brutality.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is the case with Gadhafi, he came to power and the power corrupted him.
Men by nature are selfish and he let this selfishness rule his head and heart.
Why do men who come to power refuse to allow their fellow countrymen to have the same freedoms they enjoy?............greed and selfishness.
Sandtrich
For all the Bush Bashers, 2003 it was Saddam Hussein, a meglomaniac, murdered tens of thousands of inocent civilians (defying no fly and refusing inspections for wmd's then quickly getting rid of poison gas)...what happened to it all that stuff that suddenly disappeared?
Yeah, I'm pissed that Bush embellished CIA reports on nukes but did you forget he was also paying families for terror bombing sons?......he had to go!....Bush made the decision and got rid of him.
Obama, because of all the bush-bashers, had to wait with the no fly zone for everyones approval, till after Ghadafi had his tanks and assasins embeded in the cities....after the rebels were pushed out... Day Late- Dollar Short
Jr---it's was more or less a satire including the current expenditures on this "operation". The world is a better place without Sadam.
Sandtrich,
Your satire was excellent....but did you read how khadafy got the Brit. and Canadian oil companies to pay for the (think it was $1 billion) settlement for Lockerby victims?...just to do business...(not to mention the release of the bomber)
Perhaps it's their turn to pay for this mess if they want to do more business.
sorry $15 billion
It'll be a better place without gadhafi as well. These rebels aren't hoodlums, a few weeks ago they were average working people just like you and me. What would happen if a peaceful government protest in a major American city was squashed with tanks, artillery, and airstrikes? THE SAME THING THATS HAPPENING OVER THERE! Should we have soldiers on the ground? NO. Should we hit him as hard as we can? AND THEN SOME!
Libyan rebels are brilliant strategists. Their ingenious plan: wait long enough and the US air force will win the war for them. In the mean time, just rest and see.
Well what do you want them to do when nobody's attacking them? You want them to dance a jig? Geez
War is usually hurry up and wait, you better sleep while you can.
many Libyans have died and will continue to die, while you ride your USA high horse. shame, son, shame!
If the people want to be free they have no choice but to fight. Freedom does not come freely,
it cost a lot and it will probably cost american blood. Pray that we get out fast. We have
lost more than we can bear.
You Alice are exactly 100% RIGHT!
wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo round up my troops and blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmm mommmarrrr we hatee u send that boeing right up his @sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Gim-Dam---Well not qiute, The French helped us in the American Revolution, they were angery for loosing American colonies in the 7 years war.....so they bankrupted themselves to help us....just like we are doing now...Funny how that works...
Vivi le revolution. I hope the rebbels make it.
Why do I have a feeling they are actually Al Quaeda operatives???????
Because there's LSD in your coffee?
Hotticket is obviously khadaffy's speechwriter. And al qaeda does not fight on a battleground, they bomb civilians, remember,
don't mean to sound stupid but Who?
Why arent they bombing Israel to protect the civilians. Why arent they supporting the rebels in Gaza.
Right! oh wait, do they have oil? mmmmm....
we have freedom here in the state why can't they have freedom. Why should he and his family get it all. I hope that they have the right. may god help all the rebels. Think how it would be if you didn't have your rights or lady how you have to cover up. Do you want your children to grow up that way. god help you all!!!!
I would advise everyone to read up on The last war "armageddon" The war at Megiddo, which is in this area.
Barbara,,, I don't think that was the last war nor the 1st one in that region, either way what does it have to do with today's reality besides nothing?
I would advise everyone to read up on the last war "Armageddon" Th war at Meggiddo, which is predicted to occur in this area.
I'm sorry, you're STILL wrong.
WOO! Go rebels!
The guys in these pictures look WAY too clean to be combat soldiers.
Great photos... You can draw a happy face or a sad face on these dudes yourself, the one with the laid back guy on the truck was fantastic
i liked them too. these photos say it all.
If you look closely at the fourth picture down, the guy in the white ski mask, he has a small copy of the Koran in his left hand. It doesn't bother me, since I think all religions are at best silly, but what the hey, he's the one likely to be shot at sometime soon. I wish him well.
while these brave men stand up to a well armed dictator, some mental midgets here discuss face and eye covering in a damn desert. Others re-argue the alleged WMDs in Iraq in 2003. And then the Obama bashers spout their invective; and xenophobes disparage our allies. Hope all you sleep well tonight in a free country with a president elected by a majority(live with it, losers).
so the face coverings were being discussed.So what!nobody said anything bad, about these guys.we want to them to be victorious.if anyone is criticizing Obama, so what about that too. we have as much right to discuss face coverings, and discuss Obama,even if it's criticizing him, as you do putting up your blah blah blah blah post.
i wonder who the real mental midget is. Get over yourself.
Your words, Gloria. I stand by my comment re nonsensical apparel comments above. These men may die for freedom this week.
boy you must really love sticking your foot in your mouth don't you? i was joking around that's it. nothing more, nothing less, so what of it? you want to make a case out this, then let's dance, i'm always up for a waltz.if these men die for freedom, then that's what's in the cards when you fight a war. unfortunately people have to die before they can achieve their goal, especially with bastards like Gahdaffy duck.you think i don't feel for these guys?well think again genius and get a clue.
like i said if you want to point fingers on whose a mental midget, look in the mirror, and see who stares back.
I have to back up Gloria. She has been extremely supportive of the rebels in her posts. I support the Libyan rebels whole heartedly. The masks are slightly startling at first. I am used to seeing the media portray men dressed this way as the villains. I see that their gear is necessary to their conditions. I wish I could help them.... OH wait WE ARE! Go Rebels!
If a group of people broke into an armory in the United States, removed the weapons, and used them to attack the government, we would have killed them no questions asked. No American would have supported them. However, the same Americans who would not support such conduct in the United States, are cheering on this criminal behavior in Libya?
I hope rebels pull through I want them to make it baddd
We need to send a Predator to take out the Libyan insurgents.
Mike, Why don't you go join Daffy's army?