Sunday, May 15, 2011

Life Without Misrata?

Rebels holding Misrata have pushed back the loyalist besiegers in at least a couple directions recently. I didn't know if this was necessarily a sign of rebel momentum. But that movement of the frontline must reflect a shifting balance on this front since the Libyan government appears willing to end the war without recapturing this vital port:

Moamer Kadhafi's prime minister offered on Sunday a truce to the visiting UN special envoy to Libya, Abdul-Ilah al-Khatib, in return for an immediate NATO ceasefire, as an anti-regime revolt entered a fourth month.

I did say at the beginning that Misrata should have been the government's priority before attacking east along the coast.

Perhaps the loyalists are closer to breaking than I think. Or they may simply be too weak to defeat the rebels now, and see no sense in risking a disaster no matter how low the odds are of something that bad happening.