VICE: Warlords of Tripoli (Lebanon) pt1 - General

Wish they didn't break the videos up into tiny parts like this. (though I can see why they did it) I find this stuff very interesting. "no no, don't shoot them on camera", yikes [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl8O4_TKJMQ[/media]

Well ain't that just grand. Another civil war is about to erupt

[QUOTE=ionuttzu;43776516]Well ain't that just grand. Another civil war is about to erupt[/QUOTE] Not near that point yet but Lebanon isn't on a concrete foundation by any means.

I was like "shooting in the air, okay." and then they just slash open that goat because ya' know, why the fuck not right. I cringed.

Jesus fuck NSFW

Here's a tip guys, don't ever, EVER go to the comments section of a VICE documentary.

Greeting a militia leader with "Peace be upon you." Irony.

[QUOTE=Larikang;43785413]Greeting a militia leader with "Peace be upon you." Irony.[/QUOTE] Pretty fitting since they were just discussing going to war.

I thought this was going to be about Libya.

[QUOTE=Larikang;43785413]Greeting a militia leader with "Peace be upon you." Irony.[/QUOTE] Yeah what kind of idiot would greet a militia leader according to his traditions.

Seeing NATO weapons makes me wonder the whole life story behind each weapon. We're they smuggled in, perhaps distributed by the CIA at one point, scavenged from dead troops? I always wonder how a G3 or AR platform rifle ends up in the hands of people in a territory where they are not so widely distributed. I'm also always picking people out of the crowd that could be CIA. :v:

cant wait for part 4

what a bizarre existence. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSPzoUbnRko[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1C0izZjtfY[/media]

[QUOTE=Thomo_UK;43776568]and then they just slash open that goat because ya' know, why the fuck not right.[/QUOTE] It's something to do with the festival of sacrifice.

Its really heart breaking to see my home city descending into chaos.

[QUOTE=Fayez;43809456]Its really heart breaking to see my home city descending into chaos.[/QUOTE] How was the city before? No tensions, all peaceful, prosperous etc. ?

Well today I discovered that there is a Tripoli in Lebanon

Im curious to see what part 4 brings

[QUOTE=Fox01;43797765]Seeing NATO weapons makes me wonder the whole life story behind each weapon. We're they smuggled in, perhaps distributed by the CIA at one point, scavenged from dead troops? I always wonder how a G3 or AR platform rifle ends up in the hands of people in a territory where they are not so widely distributed. I'm also always picking people out of the crowd that could be CIA. :v:[/QUOTE] G3s are actually pretty common in the Middle East. Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia all use them and I think Lebanon may have at one point as well. ARs are common because Israel, Turkey and Lebanon use them.

[QUOTE=The Rifleman;43817201]Im curious to see what part 4 brings[/QUOTE] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIECwruRJ6s[/media]

[QUOTE=ionuttzu;43809718]How was the city before? No tensions, all peaceful, prosperous etc. ?[/QUOTE] It was a pretty nice place to live, Lebanon is pretty liberal by Middle Eastern standards so Tripoli was a pretty big tourist spot for all the Castles and Churches and such. But then the Syrian Civil War started which caused people to take sides, and then the bombs exploded, and then fighting started.

[QUOTE=Aman;43802770]what a bizarre existence. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSPzoUbnRko[/media][/QUOTE] Couldn't help but find this hilarious [img]http://i.minus.com/ibuA255WNjEm4y.gif[/img]

[QUOTE=Fox01;43797765]Seeing NATO weapons makes me wonder the whole life story behind each weapon. We're they smuggled in, perhaps distributed by the CIA at one point, scavenged from dead troops? I always wonder how a G3 or AR platform rifle ends up in the hands of people in a territory where they are not so widely distributed. I'm also always picking people out of the crowd that could be CIA. :v:[/QUOTE] The M-16 in the video most likely isn't a NATO rifle. It's probably a Chinese or Iranian clone. China exports shitloads of 5.56x45 ammunition to whoever will buy it, and they also make tons of AR/M16 clones. The Middle east are big buyers of these weapons, officially and unofficially. Syria had big weapons contracts with China (and Russia) before the country fell into civil war. But everywhere from the Sudan to the Philippines also makes their own military variant of the M-16 so theres no telling where they came from. but for the G3, like it was said earlier, Iran and several other Middle East countries have used G3 variants in the past. Pakistan also makes their own variant of the G3 at licensed factories so I wouldn't doubt it if they accidentally lost a few dozen shipments and they somehow ended up in the hands of militiamen that the Pakistani government was fond of.

did they just sacrifice a fucking goat

I find this series really informative. I love Vice's way of reporting. It's rare that you see such an unbiased reporter. The guys is really calm, and just walking around and talking to people hearing their stories.