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Has Moscow Found Its New Gadhafi in Libya?
 [REALCLEARWORLD] Recent reports that Russia deployed special forces to an air base in Egypt near the border with Libya highlight the Kremlin’s growing concern with the domestic situation of the long-standing Soviet client. Strategically located and abundant with oil deposits, Libya since the violent overthrow of Muammar Qadaffy...a proud Arab institution for 42 years, now among the dear departed, though not the dearest... has become a battleground contested by numerous local tribes and Death Eater groups, as well as two rival governments. The current state of affairs in Libya does not correspond with Moscow’s new role, nor with its vision for the Middle East. A power struggle between governments based in the Libyan cities of Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... and Tobruk has left a security vacuum across the country, one that invites and shelters Islamic murderous Moslems from all across the region. The Kremlin views Fayez al-Sarraj’s government in Tripoli as weak and incapable of ensuring order and stability. Many in Moscow also see it as a puppet regime installed by NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Originally it was a mutual defense pact directed against an expansionist Soviet Union. In later years it evolved into a mechanism for picking the American pocket while criticizing the cut of the American pants... in order to diminish Russia’s sphere of influence and help the West lay its hands on Libya’s oil fields. Quite simply, Russia’s goal in its relations with Libya is to install the pro-Kremlin regime. With its predilection for stability and secular strongmen, Russia also sees in Libya an opportunity to expand its greater vision for the Middle East and North Africa. Moscow has allegedly provided military assistance to Libyan strongman and military commander Khalifa Haftar ... served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all... , and Russia’s major private defense firm, RSB-Group, reportedly carried out a successful mine clearing operation at the Benghazi airport earlier this year. A former colonel in Qadaffy’s army, Haftar was captured in 1987 by Chadian forces and was eventually forced to flee to the United States. Following Qadaffy’s execution, he returned to Libya and was promoted to the role of general by the National Transitional Council, the de facto governing body in the country following the civil war. Haftar later allied himself with the government in eastern city of Tobruk, which appointed him as a commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA). Haftar vehemently opposes any shade of Islamism in politics and advocates for a united Libya. Many in Moscow view him as a reincarnation of Qadaffy, and one capable of ending the six-year stretch of anarchy in the war-torn country. The Libyan strongman has already traveled twice to Moscow over the past year. There he spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other key diplomatic officials. He was also invited on board Russia’s aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov. in the Mediterranean, and he spoke by video link to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Earlier in March, Libyan House of Representatives President Aguila Saleh told Russia's state RIA Novosti news agency that Moscow has "promised assistance in the fight against terrorism". According to an LNA front man, at least 70 of Haftar’s soldiers received medical treatment in Russia over the last year. Posted by: Fred 2017-03-25 |
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