In 2011 the Obama Administration infamously supported the ‘Arab Spring’ in Libya which removed and killed Muammar Gaddafi who had ruled the country as a dictator since 1969. The follow-on disaster at Bhengazi perhaps permanently obscured what Hillary’s State Department and CIA were doing in-country, which resulted in the murder of the U.S. ambassador and three other brave men.
It is worth mentioning that Qadaffi had given up his nuclear weapons to the Bush administration after the wars in the Middle East at the beginning of the 21st century.
Today, the NATO support of the Libyan revolution looks to be foolish as Russian and Chinese forces battle the UN-backed government for control of Tripoli. The Obama Administration pulled out all the stops in the 2011 conflict, even employing nuclear-capable B-2 bombers from bases inside the Untied States to support opposition forces during the civil war.
Currently the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) is battling Russian-backed rebels under the leadership of Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar who recently launched a campaign to capture western Libyan territories under the control of GNA. Russian mercenaries and special forces supporting Haftar are reported to be operating in the North African country, aided by Chinese support.
The fighting has degenerated into a battle over the oil assets in-country, with proxies of East and West, and the Gulf States, sparring to gain the upper hand.
CD Media spoke with Brad Gerstman this week in New York City, founder and partner of Gotham Government Relations.
“Without putting boots on the ground, the U.S. needs to take an active role in Libya,” he declared.
“The GNA is a legitimate government and still has the backing of the United Nations. Trump is very worried about oil prices and the GNA can provide the stability needed to deliver that.
“The U.S. needs a smart energy plan in Libya and we need to cut a good deal to ensure prosperity for the Libyan people and profits for American firms,” Gerstman added.
Libya can claim centuries of great power competition between Christian Europe and the Ottoman forces which eventually Islamized most of the population.
This cycle is continues today as one more consequence of failed American intervention in North Africa and the Middle East.
