EU goes to plan B for Libya

Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 April 2011 19:36 Wednesday, 13 April 2011 19:28

By: fanatic

The EU has said it would conduct military operations in Libya, including ground operations, if the UN requests such a mission to support humanitarian relief and protect refugees. The mission would be known as "EUfor Libya" and would significantly deepen European involvement in Libya.

If it was not the explicit aim of France, Britain and the U.S. to invade and/or control Libyan oil reserves, the arrival of boots on the ground in Libya would lend credence to the belief that the entire mission has been undertaken because of oil in Libya with humanitarian issues a secondary concern and providing a useful cover.

That is not to say that Gadaffi is a reasonable man and the West is a big evil conglomerate who have being eyeing up Libyan oil for years. It is to say that the UN mission in Libya holds an ulterior motive that national governments are not being entirely honest about - the covert control of libyan oil reserves and production.

That covert control could take the form of agreements between a new Libyan government and Western oil companies. The only problem thus far is that the West is unsure of the intentions of the rebels and there is an air of suspicision that they could be controlled by extremists intent on establishing a fundamentalist islamic state similar to the manner in which Afhganistan operated.

France and Britain have been to the fore in calling for NATO to step up missions and prevent forces loyal to Gadaffi from using artillery to shell rebel cities. The situation in Misrata is thought to be critical and it is unknown how many casualties have resulted. Gadaffi's forces have been laying siege to the city for weeks and many suspect indiscriminate shelling has been a feature of the fighting.

NATO has struggled to stop Gadaffi's forces who have adopted new tactics to thwart bombing raids by NATO. The use of vehicles similar to the rebels and the placement of weapons in built up civilian areas provoke confusion and provide cover from NATO bombs.

An African Union proposal for a ceasfire was rejected yesterday by the rebels because it did not insit on the departure of Gadaffi.