South of West

• Libya: This Isn’t Over Yet

  Posted: August 31, 2011, 4:28 pm by Rob Crilly

  The newly arrived American journalist had a perfectly reasonable question: How could the rebels have let Gaddafi’s family escape to Algeria? Colonel Ahmed Omar Bani, spokesman for the opposition forces in Benghazi, gave him a withering look. “You might want … Continue reading →

• What’s Algeria Up To?

  Posted: August 29, 2011, 11:54 pm by Rob Crilly

  Some of it I get. Algeria is one of the few regional neighbours who hasn’t recognised Libya’s nascent rebel government. It has clearly been hedging its bets, taking cash and keeping its lines of communications open to the Gaddafis. Maybe … Continue reading →

• Focus on Sirte

  Posted: August 28, 2011, 1:27 pm by Rob Crilly

  Sirte is the focus for rebel forces in the east. Units have been moving slowly towards the coastal city all week, reinforcing with heavy armour and artillery from Brega and – on the western side – fighters from Misrata are … Continue reading →

• I Feel Like Chicken Tonight

  Posted: August 26, 2011, 10:39 pm by Rob Crilly

  Benghazi is like a different city compared with the one I visited in March. It still has its problems – mounds of rubbish are accumulating at the roadside and working traffic lights are scarce – but security is less of … Continue reading →

• The Road to Sirte

  Posted: August 25, 2011, 2:15 am by Rob Crilly

  Back on the road today. And what a familiar road it is. Back in March my fixer, Tam, and I drove up and down the Benghazi to Tripoli road umpteen times charting the rebels’ rapid advances followed by equally rapid … Continue reading →

• Libya’s Government in Waiting

  Posted: August 24, 2011, 10:31 am by Rob Crilly

  If Libya has a government this morning, then it is the rebels’ cabinet in waiting – the executive board or council of the National Transitional Council. But there’s a problem. It was dissolved a fortnight ago and a new one … Continue reading →

• Morning after the night before

  Posted: August 22, 2011, 1:29 pm by Rob Crilly

  It’s a case of the morning after the night before in Benghazi, the rebels’ eastern stronghold. The courthouse square filled with people last night, cheering the last moments of Gaddafi’s regime. Others stayed at home to watch events unfold on … Continue reading →

• Libya’s Rebels – The Questions

  Posted: August 20, 2011, 8:21 pm by Rob Crilly

  The long drive from Cairo to Benghazi gave me plenty of time to reflect on my previous visits here and wonder what might have changed since May. 1. The rebels in Benghazi have always seemed a rag-tag bunch, with little … Continue reading →

• The Road to Benghazi

  Posted: August 19, 2011, 1:03 am by Rob Crilly

  The road from Cairo is long and well, pretty dull. This is roughly the scenery for oooh 13 or so hours, except when it’s dark or you drive past a rather umimpressive stretch of drive-through fast food joints There is … Continue reading →

• Is There a Tougher Job in Pakistan?

  Posted: August 9, 2011, 5:30 pm by Rob Crilly

  Alberto Rodriguez has spent the past year as spokesman for the US embassy in Islamabad. I think even he would admit that the image of the US in Pakistan has gone from trough to trough during his time here, but … Continue reading →

• Lucky Shot or Clever Ambush?

  Posted: August 8, 2011, 3:33 pm by Rob Crilly

  So the Americans are briefing that their Chinook was brought down in Afghanistan by a lucky shot from a Rocket-Propelled Grenade – not exactly the ideal weapon for bringing down aircraft. And hardly something to fret over in future. But … Continue reading →

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes