Increasing tensions between the two largest factions remaining in Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) seem to be boiling over, threatening the cohesion of the rebel movement and threatening to start a new civil war before Libya is completely finished with the first one.
The pro-reform demonstrators from early this year were all but removed from the picture by the time NATO insinuated itself into the war and decided the NTC should rule. What was left was a combination of seasoned Islamist fighters who have opposed Gadhafi for decades and a collection of defectors from the regime.
Rebel Prime Minister Mahmoud Jabril has been seen as the leader of the defectors, and is trying to position a new Libyan regime that will very much resemble the old regime, only without the Gadhafi family at the top of the ladder.
Jabril has been publicly chastising the “political games” played by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists, claiming their refusal to back the integration of even more Gadhafi loyalists into the NTC is threatening the current war.
His key opponent is Abdulhakim Belhaj, who made headlines last week with the revelation of his kidnapping and rendition by CIA officials into the hands of the Gadhafi regime. Those like Belhaj who suffered under the old regime don’t particularly see former Gadhafi officials as a big enough break from the past.
Belhaj’s very existence is a source of embarrassment for NATO, so while they have yet to actually side with a faction in the upcoming second civil war, it seems likely that they will choose the Gadhafi defectors. After all, the CIA and MI6 have years of history working with them.
Oh what a lovely mess NATO has got themselves into.
Its great to see that "what goes around – comes around.""
We ALL know the CIA is gonna ending up running the place anyway.
What is new. NATO loved Ghadafi regime — without Ghadafi. All would then be peaches. But all the best laid plans of mice and men….
The old term "Hoist by their own petard" comes to mind. NATO should have just stayed home and minded its business.
On the other hand, Belhaj is probably going to pay dearly for outing The Regime (the one in the US) with his claims of rendition.
Everyone in Libya should call it square, let Gaddafi control the two cities that his troops are defending, let the NTC control Banghazi and let the Muslim Belhaj remain in control of Tripoli. Then divide up the oil wealth into three equal parts, and finally call their new republic, The United States of Libya.
Bingo — perfection without NATO.
Within six months people will be equating Libya with Somalia. When will the idiots in the French, UK and US governments learn?
That could be a feature and not a bug. More war, more many for the war makers as well as control of the oil. What's not to like. Oh and don't forget, more death and mayhem.
That's what they want. The more Somalias there are, the more justification there is for the War on Terror, MIC, defense spending and career advancement for admirals, generals and hawkish pundits.
You need to understand that these policies are not failures when measured in terms of the prime goals of the institutions involved — their perpetuation and agrandizement. Far from it, they are wildly successful.
Gasp. What an earthshaking surprise.