WASHINGTON -- With the death Thursday of Moammar Gadhafi, Libya's de facto leaders now face the challenge of preserving the fragile unity they enjoyed while the deposed dictator was on the run as they begin transforming their war-battered nation into a democracy after 42 years of tyrannical one-man rule.
The task is daunting. The National Transitional Council, the top revolutionary authority, confronts a vast array of problems: bringing the rag-tag militias that ousted Gadhafi under control; recovering looted arms; halting revenge attacks on Gadhafi loyalists; caring for thousands of casualties; restoring oil production; repairing war damage; and keeping a lid on regional tensions and radical Islam.
At the same time, the self-appointed group of former officials, academics, military officers and others, who are riven by personal and ideological differences, must proceed with an ambitious democratization plan. It includes holding Libya's first free elections within eight months of what is expected to be a declaration Saturday of "liberation" from Gadhafi's rule.
"The Libyan people now have a great responsibility: to build an inclusive and tolerant and democratic Libya that stands as the ultimate rebuke to Gadhafi's dictatorship," President Barack Obama declared hours after a wounded Gadhafi was captured and likely killed by opposition forces after a nearly six-week siege of his hometown of Sirte.
Libya begins its new era with advantages over other former authoritarian-ruled states for which the period between civil war and the establishment of the first elected government is historically the most dangerous.
Libya's infrastructure remains relatively intact, some government offices continue functioning and where they don't, self-organized civic groups have taken over. There is little prospect of the sectarian or ethnic turmoil that convulsed Iraq. The National Transitional Council enjoys respect among Libya's 6.4 million people as well as international recognition, and it soon is expected to win access to some $110 billion in assets frozen by sanctions on Gadhafi's regime.
"When I was in Tripoli last month, the water was on, the electricity was on, the police were on the streets and the garbage was being picked up," said Daniel Serwer, a former U.S. diplomat who teaches at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Relations in Washington. "I walked around at night without fear and I ran in the morning without problems. You still can't do that in Baghdad to this day."
"They not only have oil in the ground, but money in accounts outside the country. The government is still paying social security payments and bread is still subsidized," he said.
Serwer gave considerable credit to Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the transitional council chairman. Abdul-Jalil resigned as justice minister in February to protest Gadhafi's brutal efforts to crush a popular uprising that was triggered by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt and grew into a full-fledged civil war that left the dictator a fugitive after the fall of Tripoli in August.
"People have confidence in Jalil," Serwer said. "He lives in a modest house in (the eastern city of) Benghazi. He and the rest of the NTC have announced they won't run for office. He's gone around the country to each liberated city saying this is one Libya and it will have its capital in Tripoli."
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/20/2464232/moammar-gadhafis-dead-now-what.html#ixzz1bNdHh2na
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Sources: Jerome Harrison has tumor
As Philadelphia Eagles doctors were giving newly acquired running back Jerome Harrison his physical, they discovered a brain tumor that nullified a trade with the Detroit Lions, according to two league sources.
The trade might have actually saved Harrison's life, the sources said. Without the deal being made, Harrison would not have undergone a physical. The tumor is now being treated, according to sources.
Harrison could not be reached for comment.
The Eagles would have sent running back Ronnie Brown to the Lions in exchange for Harrison and an undisclosed pick in the 2013 NFL draft. Brown arrived in Detroit but never got to practice Wednesday.
Harrison is not expected to play again this season, but his long-term prognosis both for life and his football career appear to be good, sources said. He is visiting with more doctors Thursday.
The voided trade has left the Lions with major issues at running back, after Jahvid Best suffered the third concussion of his career in last week's loss to San Francisco.
The trade might have actually saved Harrison's life, the sources said. Without the deal being made, Harrison would not have undergone a physical. The tumor is now being treated, according to sources.
Harrison could not be reached for comment.
The Eagles would have sent running back Ronnie Brown to the Lions in exchange for Harrison and an undisclosed pick in the 2013 NFL draft. Brown arrived in Detroit but never got to practice Wednesday.
Harrison is not expected to play again this season, but his long-term prognosis both for life and his football career appear to be good, sources said. He is visiting with more doctors Thursday.
The voided trade has left the Lions with major issues at running back, after Jahvid Best suffered the third concussion of his career in last week's loss to San Francisco.
College Board reveals the real Occupy Wall Street problem
Thumb through the Tumblr of the 99 percent, and one phrase comes up again and again: Student Loans. Student Loans. Student Loans.
On October 19 the College Board announced that Americans owe more in student loans than in credit card debt. Our student debt exceeds $1 trillion.
Need a coherent cause? Here’s one that’s long overdue.
Student Loans were supposed to be good loans. And we were encouraged to take out large ones. You can get up to the full cost of attending your institution -- even if that’s more than you need. Why not? You only require X dollars, as an in-state commuter student, but you can get up to Y, and Y is enough for a new car!
And now we’re paying.
Responsible people don't have debt. But of course responsible people have student loans. Student loans, we were told, were an investment in your future.
Until they weren’t.
Subtract the student loans, and we might not have an Occupy Wall Street movement.
Subtract the student loans, and we might still be solvent.
One trillion dollars in debt. That’s almost as bad as our country. Something has to give.
Maybe it's the notion that more people going to college is necessarily better. If everyone has the credential, then it becomes meaningless as a means of separating the qualified from the unqualified, and people are forced to pursue more degrees (and incur more debt) in order to set themselves apart from the pack. Meanwhile, study after study suggests that having a college degree is less predictive of success than getting into college in the first place.
Maybe it’s the idea that college conveys value regardless of what you study, or the concomitant fallacy that everyone deserves to get good grades because — hey, they were smart enough to get in in the first place.
Maybe it’s the idea that college needs to cost this much. Average college costs have doubled since 1988 , while income has remained stagnant. That’s why we need loans to afford it. Meanwhile, some would argue that it conveys less value than it used to. Consider: Rick Perry went to college in the 70’s, got C’s and D’s, and he still feels qualified to run for president!
CEOs supply us with goods that have actual value, like iPhones and the J. Crew shirts on our backs. College? Value? That’s more dubious. If you remember college, you probably didn’t have a good drinking schedule.
What’s hurting millenials the most, day to day, is not CEO bonuses, nor is it an unfair tax structure. We don’t have to pay for that each month. What’s keeping us down is the thousands of dollars of debt we incurred because they told us we had to. You Absolutely Must Have a Degree, society said. Sure, Steve Jobs didn’t, and Bill Gates didn’t, and Mark Zuckerberg didn’t, but they’re the exception.
They told us not to get credit cards. Credit cards, they said, were irresponsible. Bill now, pay later. Reprehensible. But student loans? Those were an investment.
Like most investments, it's tanked, and left us worse off than before, with the vague overarching sense that Everyone But Warren Buffett is to blame.
Look at us! The job market for millennials is so bad that thousands of us are now at grad school! Grad school says “Our only skills are Not Being In The Workforce, Not Waking Up Before Eleven, and Incurring Debt. Why don’t we do some more of that?”
We can't even console ourselves by reciting quotations beautiful from minds profound. No one ever taught us any of the dang things. Instead, we took courses with titles like "E. M. Forster’s Favorite Sexual Positions" and "Balls, Bearings, and Where To Find Them,” and "Cyberporn and Society." The last one actually existed! I'm not sure whether getting an A or a D (nobody gets an F these days) in Cyberporn would be worse.
And we‘ll be paying for it the rest of our lives.
Everyone likes to say that the protests are happening in the wrong place. “Go to the White House!” Herman Cain says. “Go to Congress!” says President Obama. “Get off my lawn!” says a crazed old man who thinks Zuccotti Park is a lawn.
But in the case of students, they make a good point. Why are you leaving campus to protest on Wall Street? As the College Board suggests, the real scandal is right there.
On October 19 the College Board announced that Americans owe more in student loans than in credit card debt. Our student debt exceeds $1 trillion.
Need a coherent cause? Here’s one that’s long overdue.
Student Loans were supposed to be good loans. And we were encouraged to take out large ones. You can get up to the full cost of attending your institution -- even if that’s more than you need. Why not? You only require X dollars, as an in-state commuter student, but you can get up to Y, and Y is enough for a new car!
And now we’re paying.
Responsible people don't have debt. But of course responsible people have student loans. Student loans, we were told, were an investment in your future.
Until they weren’t.
Subtract the student loans, and we might not have an Occupy Wall Street movement.
Subtract the student loans, and we might still be solvent.
One trillion dollars in debt. That’s almost as bad as our country. Something has to give.
Maybe it's the notion that more people going to college is necessarily better. If everyone has the credential, then it becomes meaningless as a means of separating the qualified from the unqualified, and people are forced to pursue more degrees (and incur more debt) in order to set themselves apart from the pack. Meanwhile, study after study suggests that having a college degree is less predictive of success than getting into college in the first place.
Maybe it’s the idea that college conveys value regardless of what you study, or the concomitant fallacy that everyone deserves to get good grades because — hey, they were smart enough to get in in the first place.
Maybe it’s the idea that college needs to cost this much. Average college costs have doubled since 1988 , while income has remained stagnant. That’s why we need loans to afford it. Meanwhile, some would argue that it conveys less value than it used to. Consider: Rick Perry went to college in the 70’s, got C’s and D’s, and he still feels qualified to run for president!
CEOs supply us with goods that have actual value, like iPhones and the J. Crew shirts on our backs. College? Value? That’s more dubious. If you remember college, you probably didn’t have a good drinking schedule.
What’s hurting millenials the most, day to day, is not CEO bonuses, nor is it an unfair tax structure. We don’t have to pay for that each month. What’s keeping us down is the thousands of dollars of debt we incurred because they told us we had to. You Absolutely Must Have a Degree, society said. Sure, Steve Jobs didn’t, and Bill Gates didn’t, and Mark Zuckerberg didn’t, but they’re the exception.
They told us not to get credit cards. Credit cards, they said, were irresponsible. Bill now, pay later. Reprehensible. But student loans? Those were an investment.
Like most investments, it's tanked, and left us worse off than before, with the vague overarching sense that Everyone But Warren Buffett is to blame.
Look at us! The job market for millennials is so bad that thousands of us are now at grad school! Grad school says “Our only skills are Not Being In The Workforce, Not Waking Up Before Eleven, and Incurring Debt. Why don’t we do some more of that?”
We can't even console ourselves by reciting quotations beautiful from minds profound. No one ever taught us any of the dang things. Instead, we took courses with titles like "E. M. Forster’s Favorite Sexual Positions" and "Balls, Bearings, and Where To Find Them,” and "Cyberporn and Society." The last one actually existed! I'm not sure whether getting an A or a D (nobody gets an F these days) in Cyberporn would be worse.
And we‘ll be paying for it the rest of our lives.
Everyone likes to say that the protests are happening in the wrong place. “Go to the White House!” Herman Cain says. “Go to Congress!” says President Obama. “Get off my lawn!” says a crazed old man who thinks Zuccotti Park is a lawn.
But in the case of students, they make a good point. Why are you leaving campus to protest on Wall Street? As the College Board suggests, the real scandal is right there.
Lions' Jahvid Best reportedly told to end season because of concussions
Jahvid Best's season could be over, a potentially devastating blow to the Detroit Lions in their breakout season. Reason: He is fighting his second concussion in two months.
The word of Best's malady comes as the Lions struggle to find help for their running game. Tuesday's trade deadline deal to get Ronnie Brown from the Eagles was voided.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-10-20/lions-jahvid-best-reportedly-told-to-end-season-because-of-concussions#ixzz1bNcWvcsg
Thursday, ESPN reported the Brown trade was voided because Jerome Harrison was found to have a brain tumor. Sources said the tumor is now being treated.
Best had 163 yards rushing in Week 5's victory over the Chicago Bears, a career high. But in the Lions' following game against the San Francisco 49ers, the team's first loss of the season, Best had 37 yards on 12 carries. And it was in that game that Best got his latest concussion, possibly when his head was driven into the ground on a tackle in the third quarter.
On Thursday, CBSSports.com reported Best was getting advice "that he needs to strongly consider sitting out the year."
Best is not expected to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Detroit has a quandary regarding its running game.
The Lions confirmed after Week 6's game that Best had a concussion, and he has a history of concussions going back to his college days at California.
It appears the Lions will turn to Maurice Morris as their top running back, but they will face added pressure with Best out of the picture.
"We had a hard time getting the run game going," Lions coach Jim Schwartz told the Detroit News. "When it's one-dimensional that way (all pass), you are going to have a difficult time. And we did."
Harrison returns to the Lions because of the voided trade, but he was has not been a factor in the offense. Morris shared first-team practice time with Keiland Williams on Wednesday, The Detroit Free Press reported.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-10-20/lions-jahvid-best-reportedly-told-to-end-season-because-of-concussions#ixzz1bNcahEmp
The word of Best's malady comes as the Lions struggle to find help for their running game. Tuesday's trade deadline deal to get Ronnie Brown from the Eagles was voided.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-10-20/lions-jahvid-best-reportedly-told-to-end-season-because-of-concussions#ixzz1bNcWvcsg
Thursday, ESPN reported the Brown trade was voided because Jerome Harrison was found to have a brain tumor. Sources said the tumor is now being treated.
Best had 163 yards rushing in Week 5's victory over the Chicago Bears, a career high. But in the Lions' following game against the San Francisco 49ers, the team's first loss of the season, Best had 37 yards on 12 carries. And it was in that game that Best got his latest concussion, possibly when his head was driven into the ground on a tackle in the third quarter.
On Thursday, CBSSports.com reported Best was getting advice "that he needs to strongly consider sitting out the year."
Best is not expected to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Detroit has a quandary regarding its running game.
The Lions confirmed after Week 6's game that Best had a concussion, and he has a history of concussions going back to his college days at California.
It appears the Lions will turn to Maurice Morris as their top running back, but they will face added pressure with Best out of the picture.
"We had a hard time getting the run game going," Lions coach Jim Schwartz told the Detroit News. "When it's one-dimensional that way (all pass), you are going to have a difficult time. And we did."
Harrison returns to the Lions because of the voided trade, but he was has not been a factor in the offense. Morris shared first-team practice time with Keiland Williams on Wednesday, The Detroit Free Press reported.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-10-20/lions-jahvid-best-reportedly-told-to-end-season-because-of-concussions#ixzz1bNcahEmp
World Series: Game 2
ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers return to action in Game 2 of the World Series Thursday night at Busch Stadium.
The starting pitchers for both teams in Game 1 got off to efficient starts before the game turned into an battle of the minds between St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa and his Texas counterpart, Ron Washington. La Russa came out on top, wielding five relievers to guide the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory.
There is still a lack of familiarity between these teams, which both Game 2 starters said earlier this week would be a factor.
Jaime Garcia, a 25-year-old left-hander, will start for the Cardinals and look to earn his first postseason win. He is 0-3 this October with a 5.74 earned run average.
“Just got to get ahead in the count, keep the ball down and just basically keep them out of balance,” Garcia said of the Rangers’ potent lineup. “But it’s going to be a challenge. They’ve never faced me, I’ve never faced them. I’m just going to go out there and try to do my thing.”
Colby Lewis, a 32-year-old right-hander, takes the mound for the Rangers. He is 1-1 this month with a 3.86 E.R.A.
“It’s kind of all or nothing,” Lewis said of his mentality. “You go out there and you don’t know if you’re going to get the ball again. It’s something you go out and you let it all hang out, and whatever happens, happens.”
The starting pitchers for both teams in Game 1 got off to efficient starts before the game turned into an battle of the minds between St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa and his Texas counterpart, Ron Washington. La Russa came out on top, wielding five relievers to guide the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory.
There is still a lack of familiarity between these teams, which both Game 2 starters said earlier this week would be a factor.
Jaime Garcia, a 25-year-old left-hander, will start for the Cardinals and look to earn his first postseason win. He is 0-3 this October with a 5.74 earned run average.
“Just got to get ahead in the count, keep the ball down and just basically keep them out of balance,” Garcia said of the Rangers’ potent lineup. “But it’s going to be a challenge. They’ve never faced me, I’ve never faced them. I’m just going to go out there and try to do my thing.”
Colby Lewis, a 32-year-old right-hander, takes the mound for the Rangers. He is 1-1 this month with a 3.86 E.R.A.
“It’s kind of all or nothing,” Lewis said of his mentality. “You go out there and you don’t know if you’re going to get the ball again. It’s something you go out and you let it all hang out, and whatever happens, happens.”
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