Althouse: "In a cobblestone plaza, under an Ottoman clock tower, men lounge in the sun with the paraphernalia of cafe culture..."

March 7, 2016

"In a cobblestone plaza, under an Ottoman clock tower, men lounge in the sun with the paraphernalia of cafe culture..."

"... croissants, cellphones, cigarettes and paper cups of nus-nus, a silky coffee drink with a dash of milk and cream. In the best shopping areas, near the old Italian buildings, there are gyms and pizza parlors and gleaming outlets for European fashion brands. Not many war zones can boast Benetton or Marks & Spencer or, as Tripoli does, a well-stocked Boss outlet.... 'It’s become like America, a land of opportunity — for kidnappers,' said Mohanned el Mahjoub, a chatty 30-year-old militia commander, as we sped through Tripoli one night in his hulking four-wheel-drive Jeep."

From "Tripoli, a Tense and Listless City With Gunmen and a Well-Stocked Hugo Boss Outlet," by Declan Walsh in the NYT. In case you've been wondering, what is it like, these days, living in Libya.

15 comments:

Lewis Wetzel said...: If they can sit at an outdoor cafe, drink a coffee, and SMOKE A CIGARETTE, they enjoy more liberty than most Americans.; 3/7/16, 7:19 AM
traditionalguy said...: Nobody ever said a Muslim Raiding crew lives in poverty. They very live well off looting others under a cover of being the only religion that calls their victims that they kill and steal from "infidels."; 3/7/16, 7:23 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: Vivid writing. I could practically smell the Drakkar Noir.

I am Laslo.; 3/7/16, 7:51 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: The subject matter is interesting - we do want to know what it's like in Tripoli. The NY Times writing style is a little over the top, but still a darn good article.; 3/7/16, 8:02 AM
Danno said...: Blogger Bay Area Guy said...
The subject matter is interesting - we do want to know what it's like in Tripoli.

Speak for yourself, bud. It's a no-go zone for me.; 3/7/16, 8:08 AM
rehajm said...: Hugo Boss and Bennetton? Quelle horreur!

Where are Tom and Lorenzo when you need them?; 3/7/16, 8:09 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: From the Halls of Montezuma, to the Hugo Boss of Tripoli.

I am Laslo.; 3/7/16, 8:28 AM
Titus said...: Sounds so exotic-would like to be there for like 1 hour and soak it all in.

tits.; 3/7/16, 8:31 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: "Chicago, a Tense and Listless City With Gunmen and Two Baseball Teams."

I am Laslo.; 3/7/16, 8:40 AM
Michael K said...: I saw Hillary on TV saying that if we had not destroyed Gaddafi, Libya would "be as bad as Syria."

She has no clue. None.; 3/7/16, 8:58 AM
Lewis Wetzel said...: Michael K wrote . . .
"She has no clue. None."
She has people to protect her from clues.; 3/7/16, 9:54 AM
Matt said...: Sounds like an article about Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War. Are we sure the New York Times didn't just copy from an old article about Beirut, with the names of specific landmarks and people changed?

"The smartly uniformed men who loiter at busy traffic junctions belong to Beirut’s myriad militias: Amal militiamen, fighters from Maronite villages in Mt. Lebanon or just neighborhood gunmen."; 3/7/16, 10:11 AM
holdfast said...: "Sounds like an article about Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War. Are we sure the New York Times didn't just copy from an old article about Beirut, with the names of specific landmarks and people changed?"

The reference to Benetton does indicate that this was a cut-and-past job from the 1980s.

I mean Benetton? Really?; 3/7/16, 11:55 AM
DanTheMan said...: >>Sounds so exotic-would like to be there for like 1 hour and soak it all in.

Sure you would. Show up, announce "I'm a proudly gay American", and regale them with the same tales you tell us.

I'd bet you wouldn't survive that 1 hour.; 3/7/16, 5:26 PM
mikee said...: I, for one, decry the insertion of obvious advertisements, via product placement, in supposed news articles.

And despite driving past the Hugo Boss store, and declaring the store was well stocked, I read no evidence that it was well stocked in actuality, nor that the store had significant sales.; 3/8/16, 3:09 PM