OK, so Libya vindicates the "Afghan model" of warfare*

[Cain]

And it's started

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15428360

The bodies of 53 Gaddafi loyalists have been found at a hotel in the Libyan city of Sirte after apparently being executed, a human rights group says.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the victims - some of whom had their hands bound - died about a week ago.

It is the latest accusation of atrocities in Libya committed by both sides during the eight-month conflict.

Libya's new rulers have denied any involvement in abuses and have urged Libyans to forego reprisal attacks.

The bodies were found on Sunday on the lawn of the abandoned Hotel Mahari in Sirte, which saw heavy fighting last week as NTC forces battled for control of the city.

"Some had their hands bound behind their backs when they were shot," Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

"This requires the immediate attention of the Libyan authorities to investigate what happened and hold accountable those responsible."

It is not clear who carried out the killings.

HRW said they believed the hotel had been in the hands of anti-Gaddafi forces from Misrata before the killings, and it remained in their control until the fighting in Sirte stopped on 20 October.

On the entrance and walls of the hotel were the names of several anti-Gaddafi brigades from Misrata, HRW added.

"The evidence suggests that some of the victims were shot while being held as prisoners, when that part of Sirte was controlled by anti-Gaddafi brigades who appear to act outside the control of the NTC," Mr Bouckaert said.

[Cain]

This stinks to high heaven

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8865403/South-African-intelligence-investigates-role-of-British-company-in-Col-Gaddafis-attempt-to-flee-Sirte.html

A total of 50 private soldiers, including 19 South Africans, are reported to have travelled to Libya on instructions to smuggle the former dictator from his birthplace of Sirte over the border to Niger.

Among them were said to be members of the team led by former SAS officer Simon Mann on the "Wonga coup" to unseat Equatorial Guinea's dictator.

You may recall, these are the same mercenaries who are very closely associated with Mark Thatcher, son of Margaret.  But it gets better:

It has been alleged that one of the security firms who provided mercenaries for the mission may have acted as a "double agent", helping Nato to pinpoint Gaddafi's convoy for attack, and that the dictator's escape was "meant to fail".

[snip]

A source in the private security sector said it was "highly likely" that one of those involved deliberately recruited mercenaries who were ill-equipped to handle the mission.

"These guys did not have the experience to be successful," he said. "The formation of the convoy, the way they tried to leave Sirte, it's clear they were meant to fail.

"Someone got paid to protect him and at the same time to deliver him."

The part I'm struggling with is why Gadaffi would trust mercenaries so obviously tied to the British establishment?

[Freeky]

Yeah, it seems pretty weird that a country leader of any sort would do that.  I mean like trust someone who had ties to someone else who wanted him dead(?).

[Cain]

There have been rumours of Gadaffi having negotiated a truce of some kind before being killed.  They are only rumours though, and they come from some very unreliable sources (for instance, the man who claims to have had a gay affair with Barack Obama) so I don't credit them, so far.

However, that is one scenario that would help the above make more sense.  I am sure there are others as well though, including desperation.