Internet Restored In Tripoli As Rebels Take Control 271
angry tapir writes "Internet connectivity was restored in Tripoli late Sunday local time, as rebel forces took control of many parts of the capital city of Libya. A new mobile network set up by the rebels in the east of Libya in April, called Libyana Al Hurra, and a similar network in Misrata, will soon also be linked to the Libyana Mobile Phone network in Tripoli, said Ousama Abushagur, a Libyan telecommunications engineer in the U.A.E, who led the team that set up Libyana Al Hurra."
I am curious what the residents think (Score:5, Interesting)
Not about the retun of internet services, but about the entire affair of their dictator and the uprising against him.
Up until now our reports are essentially the press releases of the rebel faction and quadaffi's, respectively.
Unrestricted internet access would grant a wealth of on the street reports on civilian sentiment about these events.
Re:Who is the new dictator? (Score:5, Interesting)
The problem with Libya was that it had a stable, successful socialist economy
Doesn't look stable to me. Recall that the rebellion predated the foreign powers.
Where does the fact that Libya was a tyranny fit into your explanation?
Re:Who is the new dictator? (Score:4, Interesting)
There is no guarantee.
But there is hope for change to the better, where there has been none at all for 42 years.
-- An Egyptian ...
Re:Who is the new dictator? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Who is the new dictator? (Score:4, Interesting)
UN HDI [wikipedia.org] map is one interesting data source. See that huge green blob at the top of Africa, the only one on the continent? That's Libya. For all that can be said about Gaddafi, he really did make a working welfare state, head and shoulders above all his neighbors, and in many aspects on par even with some European countries.
As for spontaneous revolt, well... it may be true, but the fact that rebels - from the get go! - included high-profile people [wsws.org] and organizations [wikipedia.org] strongly affiliated with CIA - excuse me if I find it dubious.
Even if true, that grassroots movement seems to have just as strong radical Islamist component as the liberal one. If Iran is anything to go by, once the dictator is overthrown, the groups will inevitably start to fight between themselves - and Islamists are much more likely to win due to their determination and willingness to sacrifice.
Re:So let's start the clock until..... (Score:4, Interesting)
That clock has been started a long time ago [telegraph.co.uk] (also see sig).
Re:Who is the new dictator? (Score:2, Interesting)
Also, it was more of an independence movement that a real revolution. Those tend to go a lot better. Getting rid of the British didn't destroy all pre-exisitng political structures and disenfranchise all existing elites. Also they didn't have the tension of fighting hordes of their own people. They weren't eaten away from the paranoia that stems from that. Contrast this with the French Revolution.