Source: Oriental ReviewAlexander Krymov
The unexpectedly quick EU consent to take immediate sanctions against
Iran “coincided” with seizure of Libyan oil terminals. To certain
extent the negative affect of expected oil shortage for European economy
could be minimized in case the utmost is done to boost the Brega and
Ras-Lanuf production capacities till the complete cessation of contacts
with Iran is in force.
The article should have been called “Which was to be demonstrated.”
The facts and trends described here have been foretold a really long
time ago by impartial observers who didn’t just believe the allegations
the main reason for Nato’s actions in Libya was establishment of
democracy.
Since January 18 information agencies started to broadcast
interesting facts supposedly based on the data initially reported by the
oldest “international” Arabic Asharq Alawsat newspaper, based in London since 1978. It was reported
that a 12000 men strong US ground force supposedly landed in the
vicinity of Marsa el-Brega. The formal pretext — “preserving stability
in the region and security of peaceful population”. The Israeli web
sites added the US infantrymen were transferred from Malta. They said
the actual mission of this relocation was to maintain permanent flow of
Libyan oil to the European markets to be sold at low prices. Though the
US embassy in Malta denies allegations such a transfer of servicemen has
ever taken place.
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| US troops landed in the eastern oil port city of Brega |
It’s noteworthy Marsa el-Brega is one of the core elements of Libyan
oil industry infrastructure, where oil refineries, loading facilities,
and a liquefied gas processing plant are situated. No matter the before
the war population was only 15000 dwellers, the place is a “key point”
of oil industry. One of two acting export terminals is located in Brega.
The second one is in Ras-Lanuf, situated about 70 km from el-Brega.
Thus landing troops in this key location of the shore is the most
logical action for someone who’s interest is to secure Libyan
hydrocarbons uninterrupted flow. If it were population safety it would
have been reasonable to land somewhere more near to big cities.
Boosting cheap oil flows to the market doesn’t look like a mission
impossible. It a beaten path tried in Iraq when it provided the victors
with energy supplies for symbolic prices as one of numerous
compensations for “rescue” from Saddam Hussein. It’s noteworthy the
unexpectedly quick EU consent to take immediate sanctions against Iran
“coincided” with the seizure of Libyan oil terminals. To certain extent
the negative affect of expected oil shortage for European economy could
be minimized in case the utmost is done to boost the Brega and Ras-Lanuf
production capacities till the complete cessation of contacts with Iran
is in force.
National Transitional Council leaders left Benghazi in panic
The internal situation in Libya is grave enough to make its oil
export consumers aspire to establish control over the supplies. The
Libyan revolution confidently entered the stage of naturally determined
frustration with the new authorities that came to power in place of
“tyranny” giving spark to coming by itself intent to overthrow the newly
established government in its turn. All the more the practical skills
are already honed and weapons fill the country in great quantities
without any control. More over there are already at least two powers in
Libya with equally strong aspiration to do it.
On January 21 a wide scale manifestation took place in
militants “capital” Benghazi. The participants demanded introduction of
Sharia law throughout the whole country and Islam becoming part of the
constitution as state religion. They even insisted no referendum was
needed to have public say on the issue. It’s not words only. Disgruntled
at the activities of new Libyan authorities the protesters literally
seized the local Council’s headquarters, inflicted serious damage,
smashed up a neighboring gas station and the Council’s transport means
parked there. The Council’s officials had to run away. Including the
legal head of Libya Mustafa Mohamed Abdul Jalil.
Hot on his heels Arabia TV outlet approached him for an interview.
Asked why not submit a resignation after such an incident took place
once he himself had said many times it was inadmissible to ignore public
protests, Abdul Jalil resorted to a very special way to express
himself. He said the Benghazi protesters didn’t belong to the Libyan
people they were Gaddafi supporters.
But Jalil was not able to explain how come about five thousand
Gaddafi supporters got into Benghazi, being besides …Islamic
fundamentalists at the same time. And how come Libyan students who had
“fought” Gaddafi the whole year, turned their enthusiasm against the
National Transitional Council. But then Jalil declared his readiness to
resign if “half of Libyan people” asked him to do it, but without his
wise leadership “Libya would face chaos”. As one can see Jalil is
inclined to make his own conclusions concerning the issue of who belongs
to the Libyan people and who doesn’t and what is the criterion of
plunging into chaos. The procedure to make him resign voluntarily is not
so clear as well — the Benghazi events showed it clear enough what kind
of political discussions the population is inclined to. Armed crowds of
protesters never let know they wanted a peaceful referendum to see if
Jalil enjoys public trust.
As a result Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, deputy head and vice-president of the
National Transitional Council, said he was resigning on his own
decision. He had been the target of students attacks in Benghazi before.
The reason was multiple protests against the interim government ,- he
told Al Jazeera in an interview. He said the recent months “the
atmosphere of hatred and depravation has prevailed affecting the
Council’s work in a negative way”. The issue of the Council’s immediate
role in creating this very “atmosphere of deprivation” aside, it can be
said — new scheming of undercover Gaddafi supporters are far from being
the major driving force of the protests. More to it, the mayor of
Benghazi declared his resignation too.
The Benghazi protest itself was just another step ahead by Islamists,
who consider themselves to be victors in the Libyan revolution. In
December 2011 the Islamic advocates made public some program’s theses
like “the Islam banner must fly over Libya”. The authoritative
fundamentalists called upon Libyan militants not to surrender their
weapons for the reason “the young Libyan revolution is not over yet, the
Gaddafi overthrow is just a start”.
Jamahiriya’s back?
The Council’s militants activities start to stumble upon appropriate,
though a bit late, counteractions on the part of other Libyans. The
main reason for indignation is abrupt fall of living standards and mass
repressions on the part of victors. The Algerian information portal
Algeria ISP said
on January 22 “batallion May 28″ arrested a Bani Walid townsman Mohamad
Gait Schiebt. The reason was his “wrong” nationality. He belonged to
Warfalla tribe, that was a staunch Gaddafi supporter and now comes under
all kinds of repressions for “discrediting connections”. The young
people of the Warfalla demanded their fellow tribesman would set free in
a day. The Council’s military unit ignored the ultimatum and the
Warfalla got down to business.
In all Bani Walid’s schools the Council’s three colored banners were
changed for the Jamahiriya’s green ones, the Warfalla’s militants seized
the local Council’s headquarters. The head of local municipal council
Mubarak Al Fatami reported no connection with the Council’s troops
located in the city. The central leadership acknowledged Bani Walid was
captured by the Jamahiriya’s supporters. They emphasized the intent to
recapture the control over Bani Walid as soon as the reinforcements from
Misrata and Tripoli came. In response the Warfalla warned against it
and called upon other Libyans to support the revolt.
As you see the Council’s head Jalil, expelled from Benghazi by its
own subordinates, is obviously wrong thinking his monumental personality
is a basis of peace in the country. It’s too early to say if successful
seizure of Bani Walid is a start of coordinated activities aimed at the
National Transitional Council’s overthrow or a beginning of a new phase
of civil war.
One thing is clear — a civil war with its unavoidable victims and
human rights violations is exclusively an internal Libyan affair. The US
troops landing in the vicinity of oil terminals shows clearly what’s
really important for the West. Everything else seems to be of no
importance.
Source: World Intellectual Network
