In the NYT Kirkpatrick and Nordland write from Tripoli:
Fighters from the western mountain city of Zintan control the airport. The fighters from Misurata guard the central bank, the port and the prime minister’s office, where their graffiti has relabeled the historic plaza “Misurata Square.” Berbers from the mountain town Yafran took charge of the city’s central square, where they spray-painted “Yafran Revolutionaries.”
Where are the fighters from Tripoli? Are there any? How long will the people of Tripoli allow these red neck marauders in their streets?
The U.S. and the Brits tried to arrange for something like an occupation force. The plans UN Special Adviser Ian Martin leaked to Inner City Press of provided for 200 unarmed UN Military Observers. Unarmed? Not really, those "unarmed observers" would be protected by several thousand of heavily armed troops from some foreign country. The National Transitional Council (NTC) nixed the plan. If it would allow foreign troops now it would immediately lose some of the tribal gangs that currently support it.
The next aim for the rebels is to take Sirte. NATO is already bombing the city where Gaddhafi was born and its 100,000 inhabitants. As hundreds if not thousands of the rebel fighters are needed to keep Tripoli occupied one wonders how many forces they have left to push against that city. This could again turn out to be a long and bloody business.
It is likely that Gaddhafi slipped away to prepare for a new phase of the war. It will be interesting to see how that unfolds. There is absolutely no unity within the various rebel groups and no unity within the National Transitional Committee. They will likely fight each other in the coming weeks and month. This gives Gaddhafi a chance to set everything up and to negotiate with various tribes to allow for his comeback.
