Upstream | February 21, 2011 | 43 comments

Two Libyan Fighter Pilots Defect Rather Than Bomb Protesters

source: http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/two_libyan_fighter_pilots_defect_rather_than_bom...

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Two Libyan air force colonels landed their fighter Mirage F1 jets in Malta on Monday, explaining that they were ordered to bomb protesters in Benghazi, Libya’s second-largest city, and chose instead to flee.

Many of the country’s diplomats around the world, appalled by their government’s viscous assault on protesters, have resigned.

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/two_libyan_fighter_pilots_defect_rat...
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43 comments // Two Libyan Fighter Pilots Defect Rather Than Bomb Protesters

  • Angeliron
  • caverat101
  • Malikskyy
    • 0
      Malikskyy  
    • caverat101:

      No, we do not need to go to war because segments in another country want democracy. We can give moral support. Democracy, the most perfect form of imperfection, is always available to those seeking it, for those willing to die for it. Long before there was a Google, a Facebook, or even an Internet, past administration, worried about the onslaught of communism, the thirst for oil, and, recently, to stop the spread of radical Islam(ale Rumsfeld), sent our youth and our allies to their deaths so that we could impose our democracy onto someone else. Unfortunately, this is why some nations view us loathingly. I am not a pacifist, not that there is anything wrong with those who are, but I am a believer that unless a country is a True Ally, a True Friend of America, or if a country is a non-ally undergoing some sort of strife, yet have not asked for our help, we have to stand back and let them fight and die for their democracy—their glory and their pride.

    • 1 year ago
  • caverat101
  • Persecuted
  • JonRaymond
  • Cubejam
    • 0
      Cubejam  
    • caverat101:

      Yeah & look what happened when you tried to do that to Vietnam. No nation should push their political structure on another country. No matter how screwed up that country is. USA has no right to force their culture on another country.

    • 1 year ago
  • TaGgInUrBlOcKuP
  • PoliticalAmazon
  • Malikskyy
    • +3
      Malikskyy  
    • Image
    • PoliticalAmazon:

      Normally, I am use to some on the right plastering pictures of President Obama shaking hands with Dictators and other repressive, unsavory leaders—as if he was the first President, or politician, to shake hands with those many think deserve hanging. The problem is not who one of our presidents shook hands with. The problem is that ALL presidents throughout the years continued to prop up, support, and become Allies with these jokers, Jokers who repressed with genocidal zeal all in the name of “our best Interest.” In the future, as more nations transform from the oppression our government have been aware of for decades, more and more pictures of presidents past—and future presidents—will continue to surface. We may be helpless when it comes to choosing our family members. We are not helpless when it comes to choosing our friends. When will we say, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?

    • 1 year ago
  • Persecuted
  • noxidereus
    • 0
      noxidereus  

    • It's really heartwarming when people stand with each other instead of following the orders of a brutal government. It is heartwarming against the contrast of the many others who are quick to just blindly follow orders.

    • 1 year ago
  • fjt805
  • United_Federation_of_legalize_weed
  • JonRaymond
  • Persecuted
  • The_Pharaoh
    • 0
      The_Pharaoh  

    • "Bomb protesters"!!!! he's even using anti-aircraft cannons to bombard towns!! sick freak!! I wish he dies a horrible death, I have seen videos of victims corpses that are unbelievable!! this is a war criminal we're talking about!

    • 1 year ago
  • LivingPong
  • noxidereus
  • s_peak
    • +3
      s_peak  

    • That's what I'm talking about! It's up to soldiers to say no when it comes time for unjust war. How can they send us off to die for them if we refuse to fight? We should all be tired of fighting wars for profit at this point.

    • 1 year ago
  • TheAmericanPatriot
  • Weedy_Seadragon
  • SageRockandRoll
  • FLeggplant
    • +7
      FLeggplant  

    • I Salute these two brave humanitarians!
      If more people had their intestinal fortitude the World would be a much better place to live.
      Good for Them!

    • 1 year ago
  • Jake_Leonard
    • +8
      Jake_Leonard  

    • This is incredible. When the military begins to comprehend that they answer TO the people, nevertheless ARE the people, and stand up for ethics and background, we are in paradigm bringing times. I know this is an isolated incident, but I'm hopeful.

      I'm beginning to question how militaries should function (or be structured) in the first place. Any thoughts on this?

    • 1 year ago
  • tverdell
    • +1
      tverdell  
    • Jake_Leonard:

      As usual, you have great insight into issues.

      I think it could be dangerous for those in the military to 'think' or to even 'feel'. However, there are extreme circumstances. How do we define extreme circumstances? I do not know.

      I am sure that a lot of soldiers struggle with this type of scenario, not only when they have to confront their own people, but any group of civilians.

      The IDF would be another example.

    • 1 year ago
  • Vierotchka
    • +1
      Vierotchka  

    • On the news here in Switzerland, they said that Ghadafi also ordered his air-force to bomb Tripoli, the capital. Reports out of Libya say that the soldiers who were firing live bullets and RPGs on the demonstrators were foreign mercenaries - mostly from African countries - according to the demonstrators who did capture and even kill some.

    • 1 year ago
  • SageRockandRoll
  • Vierotchka
    • +2
      Vierotchka  

    • Viscous assaults? What degree of viscosity? Oh, I think you meant vicious! This said, Ghadafi is a monster, and, as all tyrants, he is holding on to power as much and as long as he can, whatever the cost. I think he and all but one of his sons are stark raving mad, criminally insane, irredeemable psychopaths.

    • 1 year ago
  • SageRockandRoll
    • +1
      SageRockandRoll  
    • Vierotchka:

      I agree. He's not going to go down easy. I doubt highly that he'll resign. I hope it ends peacefully. That is always the hope. But, as this order show us, the 'rules' have all going out the window. This is not going to end well for Ghadafi.

    • 1 year ago
  • brianentz
  • Weedy_Seadragon
  • Malikskyy
    • +2
      Malikskyy  

    • This is what you might call karma. It was not long ago, the Scottish government was releasing Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi , the convicted Lockerbie bomber, on supposed “humanitarian grounds.” Of course, the bomber was given a hero’s welcome once he landed on Libyan soil, swirled up in much fan fare and the smirks of Gadhafi and his son who poised smugly for cameras as if they were indeed the proverbial cats that did eat the Canary. We do not know if the Lockerbie bomber will continue to live in that Villa provided by Gadhafi and his son, but its almost safe to say Gadhafi and his son will not have the last laugh.

    • 1 year ago
  • Vierotchka
  • Nick19
    • +2
      Nick19  

    • The government will collapse in less than a week in my opinion. Amazing, a government that has been in power for 40 years is about to be toppled after a few weeks.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • Jake_Leonard
    • +1
      Jake_Leonard  
    • JanforGore:

      As much as I hate to see these videos, they need to be seen. To paraphrase CNN War Correspondent Michael Ware, people need to see this--be reminded of the true brutality of conflict--to see what is happening in the world. I've seen enough to understand; but I know a few acquaintances who could stand to see this.

    • 1 year ago
  • August_K
    • +3
      August_K  

    • Saw it on TV news.......they asked for Political Asylum when asking to land in Malta.

      Lets hope other dictators get a clue.......it's one thing for your military to protect your country from outside enemies......it's quite another to ask them to kill their own brothers and sisters.
      I salute the pilots who flew to Malta instead.

    • 1 year ago
  • Swiftstone
    • +3
      Swiftstone  

    • And this is why, no matter what Obama and the Dims, or Bush and the Repugnicans have to say about the matter, "They were just following orders" is not an excuse for war crimes. Soldiers have a choice, even if it's an ugly one in such situations. In this country, they are traditionally trained to resist such orders even under mortal threat from a superior officer. These Libyan soldiers should be offered the highest awards that we of other nations can bestow. They are succeeding in setting an example that many of our own countries and countrymen have failed to uphold.

    • 1 year ago
  • NiceN
  • MizPiz
    • +2
      MizPiz  

    • I hope they said something along the lines of "you can suck my/our (number of missiles and/or bombs) explosive, heat seeking cocks" when they told them they weren't going to do it.

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
  • kennymotown
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