The '''Libyan War of 2011''' originally began as the '''Benghazi rebellion''', a series of protests in eastern [[Libya]], which began on February 16, 2011, and which took their lead from previously successful uprisings in [[Tunisia]] and [[Egypt]]. However, the scale of the violence contrasts markedly with the more peaceful uprisings that topples the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes. The [[Islamist]] terror group [[Al-Qaeda]] in North Africa has vowed to do everything in its power to help the uprising against the Libyan [[secular]] strongman leader [[Muammar Gaddafi]].<ref> [http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/24/al-qaeda-in-n-africa-backs-libya-uprising-site.html Al Qaeda in N. Africa backs Libya uprising: SITE] </ref><ref> [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/mar/07/libya-uprising-live-updates Libya uprising.] </ref> Journalist David Wood has reported, | The '''Libyan War of 2011''' originally began as the '''Benghazi rebellion''', a series of protests in eastern [[Libya]], which began on February 16, 2011, and which took their lead from previously successful uprisings in [[Tunisia]] and [[Egypt]]. However, the scale of the violence contrasts markedly with the more peaceful uprisings that topples the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes. The [[Islamist]] terror group [[Al-Qaeda]] in North Africa has vowed to do everything in its power to help the uprising against the Libyan [[secular]] strongman leader [[Muammar Gaddafi]].<ref> [http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/24/al-qaeda-in-n-africa-backs-libya-uprising-site.html Al Qaeda in N. Africa backs Libya uprising: SITE] </ref><ref> [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/mar/07/libya-uprising-live-updates Libya uprising.] </ref> Journalist David Wood has reported, |