Qaddafi and his giant umbrella and THE RAIN jadaliyya

 QADDAFI SONG OF THE RAIN

by Ibtisam Barakat

 

[Image design by Ibtisam Barakat]

This cartoon in Arabic is about Qaddafi's speech last night in response to the Libyan people's revolution which is at its height this week. Amid rumors that he fled to Venezuela and much news that the Libyan people have secured control on many of the cities, to give a speech and claim that he is still in control, Qaddafi appeared in a jeep! He opened the door only to acknowledge that it was raining outside, so he folded back his giant umbrella and decided not to give the speech. And there was absolutely no one to whom he would speak except the man holding the long microphone! The filmed scene of Qaddafi's appearance for the speech was strangely quiet, as though a Christmas Eve, not even a mouse stirring! with the exception of the melodramatic rain ..."Good thing," Qaddafi said. I was going to hang out with the people at Alsahah Al-Khadra, but that won't happen. And now you all know that I am not in Venezuela! He cursed the media outlets that "falsify news."And the speech, or non-speech, was over! It lasted only a minute, or two -- on top of the 42 years of his rule that led to this strange, stage-less, and almost wordless soliloquy. 

Translation from Arabic: Now for Qaddafi's speech titled "Song of the Rain". And if you,  the Libyans who are revolting, are not cleansed by the rain from your misconceptions about needing freedom, then you're asking for the Umbrella Special Forces and they shall be deployed to handle all of you..