The Pentagon has issued a new round of allegations against Russia claiming they are providing weapons and even warplanes to Gen. Khalifa Hafter’s rebel forces in Libya. They say satellite images show the transfers in the city of Sirte.
A number of nations have been backing Hafter, including the Russians. The Russian arms are alleged to have come through Wagner, a mercenary company on good terms with the Russian state. If true, they would be just one of several nations involved in arming Hafter in violation of UN embargoes.
And yet in arming Libyan factions, the US is hardly blameless. They haven’t consistently sent weapons to one group or another, because the administration has often changed its mind about who it supports, but US arms are all over Libya as well.
Even Hafter has some US arms, with allegations that the United Arab Emirates bought them from the US and ferried them on to Libya. The US never did much on that, likely not wanting to lose lucrative sales to the UAE, but when it’s a competitor like Russia, it becomes an issue.
Gen. Hafter’s forces have at times controlled most of Libya, but have failed to conquer Tripoli outright. The Government of National Accord (GNA) is backed by Turkey, and has remained intact, while slowly chasing Hafter out of the country’s west.
OH dear the u.s. govt has gone full paranoid. those 4 fingers pointing back at the usa are all poking the eyes out.
Mean while Washington ships arms to Turkey to be drop shipped to Libya.
So the US attacked and destroyed Libya……..and whines when others clean up the mess……what a bunch of sauerkrauts.
This is what Pompeo meant when he said “We have changed Russian behaviour”. Russia is mimicking US behaviour.
So what?
See what happens when we don’t elect Hillary.
While I realize headlines are somewhat arbitrary, it strikes me as odd that the term “rebels” is used to describe one of the two major Libyan factions. The GNA-Tripoli “government” is mainly a semi NATO creature, while Hafter’s “government” is supported by close neighbors (Egypt) and other Middle East/Arab countries. For centuries back to antiquity the eastern and western halves of what is now “Libya” were separately governed. By occupiers or sometimes locals allied with others. Who is a “rebel” is uncertain.
The US supports the GNA wing, but evidently only Hafter has conducted any kind of election. I suggest we send Bill and Hillary there and have them stay until they sort it out. Hillary is the reigning Queen of Libyan politics after all.