The Arabist

The Arabist

By Issandr El Amrani and friends.

More defectors in Libya

After Musa Kusa, more may come, reports the Times (the original London one, not the New York upstart — behind MurdochWall):

But even as Mr Ibrahim spoke, there were reports that other top Libyan officials had also defected, including the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, the head of external intelligence and the Oil Minister. An influential deputy foreign minister was also said to have quit.

If those reports are confirmed, it would suggest that Colonel Gaddafi’s regime is is indeed “crumbling and rotten” - as David Cameron said today - and about to collapse around its leader.

Another name added to the list of defectors was Ali Adussalm Treki, a former foreign minister whom Colonel Gaddaffi had appointed as ambassador to the UN. He refused to take up the post, condemning the “spilling of blood”.

Let's hope for a quick collapse of this regime so that everyone can go home.