A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Is Qadhafi on the Move?

With the Libyan rebel forces — well, at this point they/re really the new Libyan government — about to move on Bani Walid, reports say a convoy of  200 to 250 armored vehicles from Libya have moved into northern Niger. This reportedly includes some senior Qadhafi security figures.

Burkina Faso, meanwhile, has reportedly offered Qadhafi asylum, If the convoy is seeking to get to Burkina, it raises questions about whether Qadhafi is himself headed there. He has cultivated the Burkinabe government for years, but is he really ready to spend the rest of his life in Ouagadougou?

I think we'll know much more soon.

1 comment:

David Mack said...

Hard to see how Libya would be safe from Qadhafi if he were in Burkina Faso. Or how Qadhafi would be safe from a Libyan hit squad. Much to be said for having him out of the country but much farther away and under the "protection" of a strong government that can keep him from meddling in the affairs of his home country. Would save a lot of bloodshed, even if it disappointed all those clamoring for his punishment.