What's Libya to me?

I think it's time they fumigated No. 10, or perhaps, better still, they should get a clergyman in to rid the place of past ghosts.  I suggest that because everytime some late 20th or early 21st century politician walks in they seem to be possessed by the spirit of Winston Churchill, or Lloyd George, or even Lord Palmerston - or all three at once!  Nothing against those distinguished prime ministers but the Great Britain they led bears no comparison to the 'Teeny-Weeny UK' that 'Call me Dave' Cameron leads.  Indeed, under Dave's leadership he is, quite rightly in my opinion, trimming our armed forces down to a level we can afford; on which basis that should leave us with half a dozen helicopters to rescue prats who go sailing in the North Sea, enough Guardsmen to keep the tourists happy (although Equity could probably supply a chorus line for the purpose at much less cost) and a Royal Navy confined to barracks in Portsmouth for lack of ships!   But that was last year's policy.  Today, 'Dave' has been infected by the No. 10 spirit and wishes desperately "to strut his hour upon the stage" of world affairs.  Determined to catch up with that French dwarf and elbow his way into the limelight, he has rushed in to a commitment for military action in support of a very doubtful enterprise - the removal of Ghaddafi and regime.  But alas and alack, even as I write, and even before 'Dave'' has had the chance to be photographed in his camouflage fatigues and tin hat, that artful dodger, Ghaddafi, has proclaimed a cease fire - the spoil-sport rat!  Of course, it won't be a real cease fire but it will be enough of one to bring 'General' Cameron's moment of glory to an unedifying, stalled, false start.  Ghaddafi, of course, will 'continue his policy by other means' which will probably include a mixture of infiltrating his murderous supporters into Benghazi, and offering the tribal leaders some hefty bribes - that nearly always works in Arab societies.  Meanwhile, Cameron, Sarkozy et al will be left gesturing on the sidelines.

I wonder if anyone in our useless government has actually asked for a detailed analysis of exactly what our interest is in Libya?  I can understand that the Mediterranean Europeans are worried about an influx of refugees but that, surely, is their problem not ours.  The only interest we have is in Libya's oil and gas, and to be honest, I simply do not know exactly how important that is to us as a nation, as opposed to how important it is to BP as an oil company - the two are not, of course, synonymous.  I assume the taps were switched off a few weeks ago and I can't say I have noticed any shortages although, of course, the price has gone up, but there again, it has gone up for everyone everywhere.  So, again I ask, just how important is Libya to us?  And if it is a vital interest how can we be sure that who-ever takes over is going to be more amenable than the Ghaddafi family?  And now that a 'cease fire' has been announced, how will the, er, 'great powers' re-act when it is the rebels who break it?  And if they, in turn, start to slaughter the inhabitants of Tripoli, what will the 'Great and the Good' of the, er, world community do then? 

Even so, there is some delicious irony to be enjoyed by contemplating the risible figure of 'Field Marshal' Cameron leaning over his wargames table wishing he still had HMS Ark Royal and all those scrapped Harrier jets!

Comments

[dearieme]

"I can understand that the Mediterranean Europeans are worried about an influx of refugees but that, surely, is their problem not ours." Are you utterly naive, Duff? They'll flow to wherever available work, or handouts, or free housing, takes them.

[hank]

Most of Lyia's oil is sold in Europe, but it is world wide market. . The contnental countries use the very large taxes on the oil to support there social spencing. It mignt not be the oil so much as the loss of tax revenue.

I understan the major foriegn interest in Libian oil is French. The intervention marines should be Troupes de la Marine, the USMC or Royal Marines.

[hank]

David

http://eclecticmeanderings.blogspot.com/2011/03/libya.html>International airpower will be enough to escalate the civil war in Libya, but not to win it

It's not that important.

[hank]

The link

http://eclecticmeanderings.blogspot.com/2011/03/libya.html

[David Duff]

DM, the means to resist such an influx rests in our own hands at our own borders. The fact that our government fails to resist is another matter. My main point stands, and can be summed up in the question: why, for the first time in decades are the French so gung-ho?