Jubilant Fighters Return to Cradle of Libya’s Revolt

[ClarkUSA]

Libyans welcome returning anti-Qaddafi fighters to Benghazi on Saturday.


BENGHAZI, Libya — Veterans of the decisive battle for Surt streamed into this eastern Libyan port city on Saturday to a raucous heroes’ welcome, firing round after round into the air and yelling greetings to a jubilant crowd that jammed the entry-point to a main boulevard into town.

Benghazi, proud of its role as the first headquarters of the rebellion against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, has assigned itself a central part in what people here call the new Libya. In the tumultuous, hours-long reception at the edge of the city on Saturday, children waved the country’s new flag, women wearing head scarves chanted hymns to fallen fighters, and the packed crowd chanted derisive slogans mocking the dead leader... Though transition officials have insisted they would not try to move the capital to Benghazi from Tripoli, some in the crowd of proud residents still suggested that their city’s political fortunes would improve after the passing of a dictator who, at best, neglected Benghazi.



The crowd’s noisy enthusiasm for the returning soldiers seemed to grow as the sunlit afternoon wore on, and car after car jammed the tree-lined road. A judge, Tudje Naima Gebril, who was on hand to greet the troops wearing a head scarf with the country’s new red, black and green colors — she said she was the first female judge in Libya, appointed in 1975 — called the moment a symbolic new beginning for her country.

“All the people are here for building the new Libya,” she said. As soldiers fired into the air, she added: “We don’t want to see any more guns in Libya. We want civil institutions in Libya.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/world/africa/jubilant-fighters-return-to-benghazi-the-cradle-of-libyas-revolt.html

Tomorrow, they will celebrate Liberation Sunday. Elections will soon follow.

Welcome to the world of democratic nations, new Libya! You did good. :)

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. !

:kick:

[treestar]

2. K&R

:kick:

[riverwalker]

3. awesome video here

Benghazi Freedom Fighters returning home today from Sirte

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEUi6ZLzii4&sns=fb