Gaddafi vows victory as missiles rain down

Despite military air strikes by western powers against his strategic targets, Libyan leader, Col Moammar Gaddafi, appeared on state television at a site in Tripoli which was recently demolished, and vowed he would emerge triumphant in this bloody battle.

We will be victorious in the end, he declared in a brief three-minute speech.

Speaking from his Bab al-Aziziya compound – a frequent target of coalition missiles -- he invited all Islamic armies to join him in his quest.

He asserted there was a new crusader battle launched by crusader countries on Islam.

Long live Islam everywhere,” Gaddafi said. “All Islamic armies must take part in the battle, all free [people] must take party in the battle.... We will be victorious in the end.

Gaddafi went to condemn the air strikes.

We shall not surrender and we shall not fear passersby. We jeer at their missiles. These are passing missiles, he declared.

In the short term, we will beat them. In the long term, we will beat them. The most powerful air defense, the most powerful air defense is the people.

Here are the people. Gaddafi is in the middle of the people. This is the air defense.”

Meanwhile, rebel groups in Libya remain locked in brutal fighting government loyalists in various locales, including Benghazi, Misurata, Zintan and Ajdabiya.

Separately, while the western allies seek to establish a new command structure under NATO to coordinate the air strikes upon Libya and thereby reduce the US’s leading role, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has claimed that individuals close Gaddafi are reaching out to other nations to seek a compromise and resolution to the crisis.

We've heard about other people close to him reaching out to people that they know around the world - Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America, beyond - saying what do we do? How do we get out of this? What happens next? she told ABC News television.

I'm not aware that he personally has reached out, but I do know that people allegedly on his behalf have been reaching out.

Gaddafi finished his speech with: I do not fear storms that sweep the horizon, nor do I fear the planes that throw black destruction. I am resistant, my house is here in my tent... I am the rightful owner, and the creator of tomorrow. I, I am here! I am here! I am here!