From the BBC:
France evacuates French and British expats from LibyaNow that Libya is toddling towards the pyre of modern failed states, it seemed a sadly appropriate time to roll this out again:
The French government says it has evacuated French and British nationals from Libya, as battles rage between government forces and militias.
A French diplomatic source said 40 French nationals, including the ambassador, had been evacuated by ship along with seven British nationals.
France's embassy in Tripoli has been closed temporarily, the French foreign ministry said on its website.
Libya has been gripped by instability since the 2011 uprising.
The French government spokesman in Paris, Stephane Le Foll, announced that French and British nationals had been evacuated, without giving numbers.
An unnamed diplomatic source gave the numbers to France's AFP news agency, saying the expats had been evacuated by the French army.
They are aboard a warship bound for the southern French port of Toulon, the French foreign ministry said.
On Sunday, the US evacuated its embassy in Tripoli, citing a "real risk" because of the fighting.
Together with France, Germany and the UK, it advised its nationals in Libya to leave immediately.
The UN announced this week it was pulling its staff out.
...
Libya, Our Next War...Maybe.
With great deference and respect for Julius Henry Marx, one of history's true, genius wordsmiths (and Yip Harburg, [thanks for the catch, Anon]) -- and to launch my Sixth Blogiversary Fundraiser:
3...2...1...Libya oh Libya, say have you met Libya,Libya, our next war...maybe.Unknown rebels folks adore so,And all that oil even more so.Libya oh Libya, our martial ad-libiaDespoiled by Colonel Macbeth.Beneath him's a footstool called Tripoli.(Where he shared a few hot tubs with Berlusconi)And from where he now murders by land, air and sea,You can learn a lot from Libya.La la la, la la la, la la la, la la laHomicidally unbound, Muammar'll dance you around,Like a pinata made by a Neocon.If you squint you can see Kosovo or Granad-eeOr Caesar crossing the Rubicon.La la la, la la la, la la la, la la laLibya oh Libya, say have you met Libya,Libya, our next war...maybe.When the bombs start to flyin',That's when comes the real lyin'Libya oh Libya, our martial ad-libiaDespoiled by Colonel Macbeth.For a dime Billy Kristol will show you his dickAnd explain what makes a Fox fascist tickAs 10 years vanish like a cheesy card trickYou can learn a lot from Libya.La la la, la la la, la la la, la la laCome along and see Newt with his ass out.John McCain panting so hard he might pass out.While side-kick Joe digs out his war pout.And Beck doubles down on his freak out.La la la, la la la, la la la, la la laRepublicans suddenly caring where the money goes.Chickenhawks suddenly back on the talk shows.Here are PNACers back rattling sabers.Back to tossing kids 'round like flesh cabers.La la la, la la la, la la la, la la laLibya oh Libya, our martial ad-libiaOh Libya the champ of them all.Where once was a Commie who French-kissed big banks('Til Ghadaffi started killing civilians with tanks)Now that Kenyan Usurper has risen 10 ranksFor he went and conquered Libya!I said Libya{He said Libya}They said Libya{We said Syria}La La!
The Original, for those who have never heard it, or haven't seen it in far too long:
Update:
The"update" to this post is that a nice lady promised me candy if I hauled it out of mothballs.
And I do like candy.
Maybe, as a country, we could take a vacation from toppling other country's governments for awhile?
Just for awhile, to see how we like it.
And if during that interregnum should you have a burning desire to jump in there and democratize someplace about whose internal tensions and fractures we know fuck all, please feel free to set up your very own Chinese Ever Victorious Army. Get a bunch of your friends, stock up on the incredibly lethal weapons which it is now apparently every American's inalienable right to stockpile by the ton and haul into any Target or Toys R' Us or Applebees they damn well please, and head off to distant lands to help right their wrongs.
We'll leave a light on for ya.
