'Gaddafi – you are the weakest link'

Libyans are supposed to devote themselves to studying Colonel Gaddafi‘s Green Book, but as far as I can tell, the people of Benghazi spend much of their time watching TV quiz shows.

In the mangled remains of Gaddafi’s guesthouse in Benghazi, burnt by protestors last week, a man came running up with a printed piece of paper. It turned out to be an elaborate joke. Gaddafi is on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”, but he doesn’t know the answer to the question, so he phones a friend. Turns out it’s the devil on the line, but he hangs up – even Satan won’t help Colonel Gaddafi anymore.

Graffiti is everywhere. On the walls of what used to be the Berqa barracks there’s a cartoon of a huge boot going up Gaddafi’s behind. Outside the courthouse, someone has scribbled in Arabic: “Gaddafi – you are the weakest link”.

Some sayings lose a little in translation. Thrilled by the bravery of his friends, an earnest young man told me, ” From the vagina of revolution, true heroes are born!”

The people of Benghazi are pretty good at their pop and rock references: “Walk like an Egyptian, Fight like a Libyan” is a new motto.

Many I’ve met here have tragic stories – sons hanged, brothers imprisoned for years. But they’re also revelling in their new found freedom. A man in a dark jacket came up to me to talk about those who have disappeared during Gaddafi’s 42 -year rule.

“We’ve never been able to talk about this before”, he told me. “As Phil Collins says, I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life”.