THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Forces loyal to strongman Col. Moammar Gadhafi imposed rough order in Libya's increasingly fearful capital Wednesday, witnesses said, that stood in sharp contrast to rebel gains in much of the oil-rich country.Gunshots echoed through the night in Tripoli as Col. Gadhafi clung to power even as the international community discussed ways to isolate him with sanctions. More territory slipped from his control, and rebels began to set up rudimentary governments in outlying areas under their sway. "No-one should count him out, but momentum isn't going his way," a U.S. official said.
The chaos that has consumed Libya since protesters last week began pushing for Col. Gadhafi's ouster has spawned an array of security concerns—over oil supplies, the safety of tens of thousands of foreign workers there and the risks posed by the weapons in Col. Gadhafi's remaining arsenal.
Oil prices surged over fears about the security of supplies from Libya, a major oil producer. Prices for light, sweet crude for April delivery—the main U.S. oil contract—at one point in the trading day hit $100 a barrel for the first time in more than two years.
The U.S., China, Turkey and several European nations struggled to bring home citizens stranded in Libya, where an estimated 100,000 foreigners work in industries including oil and construction. Airplanes sent from France and the Netherlands circled Tripoli's airport but had no clearance to land and turned back.
Fears also arose in Washington that Libya's regime hasn't destroyed significant stockpiles of mustard gas and other chemical-weapons agents. Tripoli also has stocks of aging Scud B missiles. Read on and comment >>> Angus McDowall in Dubai, Margaret Coker in Cairo and Charles Levinson in Baida, Libya | Thursday, February 24, 2011
