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Bryan Denton / The New York Times via Redux
A rebel celebrates while wearing a hat, necklace and scepter thought to be taken from Col. Moammar Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound, in Tripoli, Libya, Aug. 23, 2011.
Reuters reports:
A Libyan rebel, wearing a flamboyant military peaked hat that he said he had seized from Moammar Gadhafi's bedroom in his Tripoli compound, said he planned to give the trophy to his father. Continue reading.
Rachel Maddow shares the story of a man in Tripoli who claims to have looted some of Gadhafi's accessories and is now wearing them for all to see.
P. De Poulpiquet / Maxppp via Zuma Press
An armed rebel fighter kicks a soccer ball near Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound as it is engulfed in flames on Aug. 23.
Sergey Ponomarev / AP
Rebel fighters trample on a head of Moammar Gadhafi inside the main compound in Bab al-Aziziya on Aug. 23.
See our slideshow of pictures from the Libyan conflict: Tears, cheers, prayers as regime crumbles.
Bryan Denton, the photographer who made the top picture of the guy in the hat, is on assignment for The New York Times. Read about his trip into Tripoli, and see more pictures, on a Lens Blog post from Aug. 22. Denton’s web site is http://bryandenton.photoshelter.com/.
Leave a Comment:
That top photo is just a whole lot of awesome.
It is. Ain't no bling like dictator bling. But I've often thought Moamar must have picked up most of his outfits at Carlos Santana's garage sales and the Michael Jackson auction.
Big Pimpin in Libya. Doesn't get much more pimped out than that hat, chain, and sceptre.
I like how Rachel was like, "We have no way of knowing if this is actually Gadhaffi's hat, sceptre, and chain or if they're just cheap knock offs from Canal St." lulz at that.
Also how about the Libyan guy who got the hat. He for sure is a NYC resident.
"Oh mah gahd. Like, oh mah gahd." He sounded like Travolta in Welcome Back Cotter!
I love the picture of the gun toting victor kicking a soccer ball across the plaza. In the violence and turmoil, in front of a burning building, we see a view of how undifferent people around the world truly are.
Looks like the Village People have joined the revolution.
Dictator Wear - - wouldn't it be great if we all could dress like that?
"Did you get the number of the Cab in NYC that I left my hat, neck chain and Camel Hair fly brush in?" Libyan Dictator Retired
The scepter seemed to have human hair attached to it... bizarre!
Uh Oh, they got his wig and his hat... now he's going to be pissed.
Note to rebels or new government: Don't burn too many things down. You may need them later.
And the hair he's holding? Did he steel the dictator's merkin?
check out the gut standing the the looter's right... the look on his face says it all
No...but he may have STOLEN it. Past tense of the word STEAL.
And another one bites the dust, and another one bites the dust, and another one bites the dust.............
if he was smart he would sell that stuff on ebay!...(>:
I do not have a problem with him taking the hat, it has little real value, but the gold chain should be state property since Gadhafi probably bought it with money that should have gone to the government, and taking it is wrong. Who knows what it is worth, but in that part of the world it could probably bring enough money to feed a family for at least a week. As for the mace, who knows; if it is gold it could be worth quite a bit. The rebels have no right to loot state property.
Maybe the rebel will use it to feed HIS family for a week....
more like a year!
An ounce of gold goes for almost $2000 right now. An ounce of gold would easily fit in the palm of your hand (half the size of a credit card and little thicker than as a quarter).
I would guess that the scepter is worth 10s of thousands of dollars based on the value of gold alone and discounting any extra value associated with its historical nature.
It would easily feed the average Libyan family for a year.
State property? Come on comrade... Feed a family there for a week? Yes, and a family in America for a few days at today's prices.
JS in SD " Gadhafi probably bought it with money that should have gone to the government, and taking it is wrong."
By your logic the cost of fuel to fly Mrs. Obama to the Vineyard, and then another jet to fly Mr. Obama should be paid for by whom?
I wouldn't make any bets on the cost of that thing; it looks like some cheap gold-plate purchased at Kay's Jewelers.
The necklace is likely gold plated...that much solid gold would weigh enough to break your neck...still it's a lot of gold.
Now which warlord or rebel chief will take his place?
Or maybe it will just divide into Tribal Ruler-ship because everyone wants a piece of the action. You know, back to the good old days of Sheiks and Camels, Belly dancers, Tents and the French Foreign Legion.
Come back, Capt. Gallant.
Vor: You can find Capt. Gallant on DVD.... If you're sincere in your plea, that is.
now I'd like to see iran's people hit and kill that almond guy there lol
Be cool, things may turn out all right. Give it some time cause it isn't over...yet!
nothing belongs to the state when the state takes the people's freedom.......
We should be doing it here with the @!$%#s we have in goverment.
I have dibs on O's golf clubs, I don't want his hat it would probably make my ears stick out
Are you from Texas by any chance?
Great. Glorifying looting by a random rebel tied to a tribal clan.
The only thing going on here is a US/Nato-financed revolt to carve up Libyan oil fields and put them in private hands....rather than being state-owned as they were under Gadhafi.
Under this so-called mean old dictator, the Libyan people have free healthcare, free college education, a $50,000 payment given to newly married couples, the ability to finance a car for 30 years, gasoline at ulta-cheap prices......some of the older Libyans remember what it was like before 1967 when there truly was tyranny.
So when the private bank gets set up (which is where the rebels got their money in the first place) and replaces the state-owned bank - and when the oil fields belong to Exxon, Shell, etc. rather than the Libyan people - and the country belongs to tribal warlords (or actually the banks and petroleum companies paying off these warlords)....we'll see what happens to those benefits. My guess is that they'll disappear under "austerity measures" just like they have for the rest of the world.
Not disagreeing with you, we've seen it too often; but I would like to know your sources of this information, please.
Oh Bob...I am sorry your glass is only Half full. I hope this rebellion gets more legs..not less. The people of the world need to choose the way they want to live. I just hope they catch him..not kill him..he needs to stand on the charges.
So, Bob ... any form or degree of tyranny is OK with you as long as you get your "fair" share of free stuff from someone else. Who's getting tyrannized in that deal, huh? You're the reason freedom in America is dying.
Marmot, What are you talking about? As long as I get my free stuff? I don't live in Libya.
My comments were intended to make you see this whole facade for what it is. Of course, I guess since you tried to take this argument to some sort of food stamp/welfare argument, you're one of these fox news fans that gripes about crack baby welfare while the CEO's and banks are the ones that are actually stealing the wealth from the country - but in order to wrap your head around that, you have to get it out of your @$$.
You can live in some make-believe ideological world where America fights for "freedoms" and "human rights" and "democracy" and all that other BS - or you can see the world for what it really is. In this case, it's another racket - and again, I challenge you: watch what happens to Libya when the IMF/World Bank/Exxon/Shell gets control of them. You realize that several African countries life expectancy rates have gone down since they were imperialized for resources (e.g. Nigeria)? No, there's no way you could have ever known that.
Even here is censored. So much for freedom of speech.
What's with the wig? Was Moammar a cross dresser?
Rebel rebel you tore dress, rebel rebel your face is a mess...
all of this is a prelude to what's going to happen in this country. The gap between rich and poor is widening and congress seems to be OK with that. No taxes on the super rich, no taxes on the big corporations making huge profits and paying huge dividends to the board of directors and squashing the extension of tax breaks for working class people. "Revolt" coming soon to a theater near you.
Sign me up...
Looters(thieves) have never read and heeded the word of God.Thus(thou shalt not steal)!
I don't support the looting of people's things based on my own perspective having been raised in the US. For anyone to try and either condone or make light of the "looting" in post civil war Libya is speculating at the best on a foreign culture (hours following a civil war and the overthrowing of a suppresive leader) when people are crying and jubilant for a rare moment in their lives......Was there not significant looting here in the United States of America during the LA-Watts riots, Rodney King verdict etc. ...oh right and the people in New Orleans who were stranded for days and left to fend for themselves. I would not rush to demonstrate my values or beliefs to occupy some time during the day when NONE of us has a f**** clue about the state of humans under circumstances and cultures we basically learn about from either CNN or Fox (depending on you're viewing pleasure). Boy those and other US and foreign media-- western scuplted information are Plenty to accurately depict how things TRULY are in that unique and complex world///never mind moment in time
This just shows who Obama and those that support these thieves really are. Obama and most politicians, "Repubs and Dems" today are looters and thieves along with their Wall Street friends.
got that right!
When you look at the rebels and what they are doing, then you realize what fruitless and expensive game we have played out for the rich, the oil companies and the war monguls. I think the ignorance of these people is akin to a group in this country. They want to think that they are capable to lead but are dumb as a rock, hence they are always getting the bad end of the stick. In the planet of the apes, there were not enough smart ones to overcome the weaknesses of dumb ones. The whole system caved in, much like africa, unless the rich come and manage it. Gadaffi was a terrible leader, considering the the thugs he ruled over. Look at the pictures, they are destroying there own countries assets ( which are theirs) because they believed what some country out side their borders told them. Once in while a smart rises up like Gadaffi and maintains some run over them, left unchecked they will be back in worse shape in time to come. The more intelligent countries will rob them of the natural resources and leave them to starvation and self extermination. Remember this those same powerful folks will do this to the USA also. So with that said "vote every last one of theiving bastards out of office.
Still seems like a "circus" of little children to me. Where are the leaders, the organization, the declarations, the speeches. Looking more and more like they don't have a clue. "Keystone Kops".
State property? Come on comrade... Feed a family there for a week? Yes, and a family in America for a few days at today's prices.
JS in SD " Gadhafi probably bought it with money that should have gone to the government, and taking it is wrong."
By your logic the cost of fuel to fly Mrs. Obama to the Vineyard, and then another jet to fly Mr. Obama should be paid for by whom?
Despite reports that he made a "strategic withdrawal" or whatever, I'd say the fact that Gadhafi left these personal effects behind in his compound sort of indicates that he beat a very hasty retreat.
Those are replicas he retrieved from his "blue lunch bag" on his right.It is a convincing stunt though.After the dictator is gone, what then ?Another Somalia with Sharia law?Who is lined up to take leadership?What happens to the oil and the many weapons?
Would make for one hell of a garage sale.
Did they find a Tea Party campaign sticker?
These guys are fighting for freedom from a dictator.. They are not paid solderers and some have been doing this for six months.. They have been eating and sleeping what and where they can..The taking of a few things from old M. K. is just the reward for the sacrifice..
Why does it always seem that the intelegent people that inhabit these discussions believe that Exxon and Bank of America are behind every f@$&n rock.. Libya only has a 4% stake in the oil market.. You would think that if they wanted to rip off the towel heads they would have snatched up Saudi Arabia and Iraq who have a much larger market share.. The state still owns the stuff there and Egypt as well.. Even in the Ferengi capitol of the world, the U.S. .. The owner of the resources here is the government.. They only lease the land to big oil and to us to live on.. Private ownership of land is a myth, the white house likes it when you think that way.. Have you never heard of emanate domain and the power that gives the government.. Keep living your fantasy, I mean your American dream..
And why the heck is Obama getting credit for this and wacking Bin Laden?? Another pimple ass politician taking credit for someone elses moves..
Considering the fact that these people endured over four decades of totalitarian rule I am not surprised by their reaction and the joy they are demonstrating. There is a difference, however, between celebrating the fall of a ruthless dictator and sponsor of terrorism and stealing government property that belongs to the people and should be on display in museums to show the young the dangers of complacency and the evil of those who put their personal ambitions ahead of those of his/her country.
This is really nauseating. Did Qaddafi have the assistance of the U.S. when he took over in 1969. NO. Wow, the big bad rebels riding around in the dreaded golf carts celebrating while the U.S. taxpayers pay millions so we can continuously shell various targets so they can ride in and act like they actually did something. I would love to see him pull out an ace in the hole and nuke the place before he moves to Venezuela. I guess Obama will give the rebels, I mean AlQuaeda, I mean thugs, I mean a bunch of illiterates, billions to take over and start ruling no differently than Qaddafi did. Not to mention the stockpile of anti-aircraft missiles has already been looted and, as CNN reports, they have no accountability if they are now in the hand of potential enemies of the U.S. Chemical weapons are next. Good job as usual Obama. Acting before you even try and think it through.
Did they find a Tea Party campaign sticker?
nope ... But I'll bet they found a love letter from Obammie
Just shut up and pay your rent, I mean taxes to the government..
David,,,, How about a video with McCain & Lindsey Graham hodilng hands with Gadhafi? I've got one of those
They found a Dear John letter from BP, Shell and Chevron - "Dear Colonel we have left you for the rebels they promised us better returns on our investment and they would pay us for the rebuilding of the oil infrastructure in gas (just like Iraq). We are grateful to our NATO employees for not damaging too much of the oil infrastructure. The rebels also promised western style democracy with no Shria laws. This will make for a more stable government that we can control and keep our Tea Bagger supporters happy because its not Islamic. "