Fiasco Benghazi: Episode 1 - The Dictator
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Sep 8, 2025 Hussain al-Shafi, a former prisoner at Abu Salim, shares his harrowing experiences of dissent against Muammar Gaddafi's regime. He recounts the brutal realities of imprisonment and the notorious Abu Salim massacre. Gaddafi's oppressive tactics and the atmosphere of fear in Libya are vividly portrayed, connecting the past to the chaotic events surrounding the Benghazi attack. Al-Shafi's story uncovers the human cost of political repression and the struggle for justice amid the tumultuous backdrop of Libyan history.
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Scandal Distracted From Policy Questions
- The Benghazi attack became a prolonged American political scandal that obscured its geopolitical causes.
- Understanding Benghazi requires examining U.S. aims in Libya, not just security failures that night.
Life Inside Abu Salim Prison
- Hussain al-Shafi described being arrested at 20, blindfolded, and taken from Benghazi to Tripoli prison.
- He recalled torture, isolation, and seeing holes in walls where inmates whispered between cells.
The 1996 Abu Salim Massacre
- Al-Shafi recounted the 1996 prison protest that led to guards marching over 1,300 inmates into courtyards and opening fire.
- He estimated only about 300 men survived and survivors were forced to clean valuables from the dead.
