Libyan rebels in both Benghazi and government-controlled Tripoli claim to be in secret talks. The opposition is reportedly gearing up to overthrow Gaddafi’s regime.
They are uniting efforts to set a date for an uprising in the capital, in what they are calling the last step towards winning the revolution.British Labour Party MP Barry Gardiner believes the UK should not be effectively acting against the “horrible” Gaddafi regime.“It is not a regime that any of us would wish to support, but that does not cloud the fact that Britain has no role getting involved in one side of the civil war and pursuing this in the way that they have,” he said. “Effectively, the UK and the French troops and others have been being used as the air-arm of the rebel forces, and that is simply wrong.”According to the latest media reports, after all Gaddafi’s claims of fighting to the death, he might be seeking political asylum in Africa in the next few weeks. Barry Gardiner says he would not be surprised if this turns out to be true.“I don’t think [Gaddafi] is a politician who has got a reputation for consistency,” he said. “So he might easily go on the run and seek asylum elsewhere.” “In one sense, the quicker that regime is gone, the better,” he added. “But in another sense we have to be very careful about what is going to replace it.”Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives is due to vote on a resolution aiming to limit America's military role in Libya. Barry Gardiner believes that the burden of the conflict has fallen on the UK from the very beginning, as Barack Obama was very clear about America taking a back seat.“Britain has bore the brunt of this,” he said. “And obviously any change in the support that is coming from the Americans would probably mean that that increases yet further.”