De Jure and De Facto

[nadinbrzezinski]

We have recognized the rebel government, since we waited until now this is a DE FACTO recognition, aka facts on ground.

Countries that recognized earlier it was a De Jure. It is mostly meaningless unless you like this trivia... which I do.

[tabatha]

1. I don't think there was a government for the FFs.

There was a council for administrative tasks.

But to have had a government in Benghazi, would have played into Gaddafi's hands to split the country.

Jibril explains it in this video:

http://youtu.be/Mo7Bk7YY8Nc

[Make7]

2. Hadn't they been treated as the legitimate governing authority since last month...

... as part of the agreement of the Libya Contact Group which the United States is a member?

What happened today is more like a formal individual recognition by the U.S. Government, but I don't really think it changes much of anything.
 

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. No it does not, it is just trivia

the difference matters only to a few of us who pay attention to those things.