Charley, you might like this:

By Associated Press, Published:
August 24BENGHAZI, Libya — They called it Operation Mermaid Dawn, a stealth
plan coordinated by sleeper cells, Libyan rebels, and NATO to snatch the
capital from the Moammar Gadhafi's regime's hands.

It began three months ago when groups of young men left their homes in Tripoli
and traveled to train in Benghazi with ex-military soldiers.

"They went back to Tripoli and waited; they became sleeper cells,"
said military spokesman Fadlallah Haroun, who helped organize the operation.

Operation Mermaid Dawn began on the night of August 21 and took the world by
surprise as the rebels sped into the capital and celebrated in Green Square
with almost no resistance from pro-Gadhafi forces.

Haroun said about 150 men rose up from inside Tripoli, blocking streets,
engaging in armed street fights with Gadhafi brigades, and taking over their
streets with check points.

He said another 200 men were from Misrata.

But why did the armed Gadhafi troops melt away when the rebels drove through?

Fathi Baja, head of the rebel leadership's political committee, said it was all
thanks to a deal cut with the head of the batallion in charge of protecting
Tripoli's gates, the Mohammed Megrayef Brigade.

His name was Mohammed Eshkal and he was very close to Gadhafi and his family.
Baja said Gadhafi had ordered the death of his cousin twenty years ago.

"Eshkal carried a grudge in his heart against Gadhafi for 20 years, and he
made a deal with the NTC — when the zero hour approached he would hand the city
over to the rebels," said Haroun.

"Eshkal didn't care much about politics" said Haroun. "He wanted
to take a personal revenge from Gadhafi and when he saw a chance that he will
fall, he just let it happen."

Haroun said that he didn't trust any of the defectors who left Gadhafi's side
so close to August 20, but Eshkal was living for the day he could pay back
Gaddafi..

Haroun said NATO was in contact with the rebel leadership in Benghazi and were
aware of the date of Operation Mermaid Dawn.

"Honestly, NATO played a very big role in liberating Tripoli — they bombed
all the main locations that we couldn't handle with our light weapons,"
said Harouin.

Analysts have noted that as time went on, NATO airstrikes became more and more
precise and there was less and less collateral damage, indicating the presence
of air controllers on the battlefields.

Targeted bombings launched methodical strikes on Gadhafi's crucial
communications facilities and weapons caches. An increasing number of American
hunter-killer drones provided round-the-clock surveillance as the rebels
advanced.

Diplomats acknowledge that covert teams from France, Britain and some East
European states provided critical assistance.

The assistance included logisticians, security advisers and forward air
controllers for the rebel army, as well as intelligence operatives, damage
assessment analysts and other experts, according to a diplomat based at NATO's
headquarters in Brussels. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity due to
the sensitivity of the issue.

Foreign military advisers on the ground provided key real-time intelligence to
the rebels, enabling them to maximize their limited firepower against the
enemy. One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss
intelligence matters, said the Qatari military led the way, augmented later by
French, Italian and British military advisers. This effort had a multiple
purpose, not only assisting the rebels but monitoring their ranks and watching
for any al-Qaida elements trying to infiltrate or influence the rebellion.

Bolstering the intelligence on the ground was an escalating surveillance and
targeting campaign in the skies above. Armed U.S. Predator drones helped to
clear a path for the rebels to advance.

Baja said as the time for Operation Mermaid Dawn came close to execution, NATO
began to intensify their bombing campaign at Bab al-Azizya and near jails where
weapons were stored and political prisoners were held.

And then the people rose up