The UK opposition politicians and the TV News media, have been criticising the UK government on its slow response to evacuating UK nationals from Libya.
Commercial flights direct to the UK by BA and BMI were running until yesterday, other European carriers are still operating, such as Air France and Lufthansa. So, if any Brits are in Tripoli, they could get out.
The biggest problem reported today on the BBC, is an oil camp of mainly Brits and Germans 500km from Tripoli in the middle of nowhere with about 300 guys stuck there. The armed locals looted the camps and nicked all their vehicles. They are only one kilometre from a supply airport, but there are no planes there at present. They are requesting C-130s to come in and get them out.
UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Haig, said today that he may consider sending in rescue planes, without official Libyan permission if this became necessary.
A plane chartered by oil company BP arrived in Tripoli today, but one organised by the UK government was delayed by a tech fault and is reported to be still at Gatwick airport London.
The US has chartered a ferry for 35 Embassy officials and dependants, plus and other US citizens wishing to leave. It is leaving about now (18:00 UK tiime) and bound for Malta.
BBC News - Libya protests: Evacuation plans of foreign governments
BBC News said:
23 February 2011
United States
The State Department says there are about 600 US citizens in Libya, and several thousand dual US-Libyan nationals.
The State Department said it would begin evacuating its citizens from Libya by ferry to the Mediterranean island of Malta on Wednesday.
It says it is also seeking to provide flights for nationals who want to leave, and that it was trying to get 35 non-essential staff and family members of personnel at the US embassy in Libya out of the country.
Russia
More than 500 Russians are working in Libya, and so far 118 Russians are reported to have flown out on a transport plane. Reports in the Russian media say that about 150 Russians - employed to build a railway line - are currently stranded in the Libyan desert.
France
Two military planes with about 500 French nationals landed in Paris in the night of 22 February. About 750 French live in Libya ordinarily, although current numbers are thought to be in the region of 500-550.
United Kingdom
Britain's foreign office says about 500 nationals live in Libya, mostly in the Tripoli area. The government said it was redeploying a warship, HMS Cumberland, off the Libyan coast in readiness for a possible sea-borne evacuation of its citizens.
Canada
Of the 321 Canadians registered with the embassy, 91 have so far expressed a wish to leave, the government said. Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said a Canadian plane would arrive in Tripoli on Thursday.
Brazil
Brazil's foreign ministery said a ship would pick up a group of 183 Brazilians in Benghazi on Wednesday or Thursday, and take them to Malta. They are thought to be employees of engineering firm Querioz Galvao, plus their family members.
Italy
It is not clear how many Italians are in Libya, but two Italian naval vessels are heading for eastern Libyan ports to get out citizens from Benghazi and other cities where airports are damaged.
Italy is continuing its commercial flights into Tripoli, but said it was prepared to mobilise four to five military aircraft, and navy ships to help with any possible evacuation of Italians.
Meanwhile, the man considered the colonel's number two, Interior Minister Abdel Fattah Younes al-Abidi, is among senior figures who have joined the opposition. (BBC News)
With the east of the country in ?rebel? hands,
Gaddafi battles to control west (BBC News).
It is not over yet.
Libya is looking more and more like Romania in 1989, and Gadaffi looks more and more like Ceau?escu.
Mubarak and Egypt, in comparison looks more like Czechoslovakia.
And may end up as Ceau?escu did, as well.