Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem

Civil Unrest in Libya

The change in Libya has been clearly marked by America’s endeavour to drag the European states, under the auspices of NATO, to serve the Greater Middle East Initiative. NATO’s task stipulates protecting the foreign security of the Initiative; by withdrawing from the air strikes, Am erica left the European states in charge of the task, though she is still partaking in the other activities of the Alliance. This is a clear success for the Americans, which the European states perceive; in addition to bearing the cost of the air strikes, Europe is bracing herself for instability in the Mediterranean, which will result in an increase in immigration from Africa. Libya’s lengthening crisis would contribute to the depletion of Europe’s economies - which are already severely strained by a catalogue of crises - due to the successive increases in oil prices and the drop in the production of Libyan oil, which is light and low in sulphur and much coveted by European oil refineries.

Domestically, the lengthening crisis and the failure to settle the issue in favour of neither the opposition nor Gaddafi, despite the US-led NATO’s ability to do so, has enabled America to make a convincing case for the necessity of a ground-troops intervention. This is expected to end with an acceptance to host the AFRICOM base, currently operating from the German city of Stuttgart, although Algeria rejected in the past its permanent presence over her lands. Moreover, the lengthening Libyan crisis and the rebels’ fear of a repeated Gaddafi-troops advance have contributed in convincing the remainder of the rebels’ leaders of the need to rely on America and other Western powers and seek their help, unheeded by the seriousness of such a despicable action, especially as most of them used to condemn Gaddafi for depending on the same masters.

As for the splitting of Libya, what has occurred might be interpreted as a prelude towards a split, which does not reflect the wishes of the Ummah’s children in Libya whatsoever; but the Americans may impose it in reality if it is in their interests to do so. For instance, a divided Libya who suffers from “Somalisation” amounts to a big headache for Europe, especially in that some European states bordering the Mediterranean are on the brink of an economic collapse that may paralyse the European Union or even split it into economically strong states such as the northern European states and Germany, and struggling states such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The hardship to be experienced by the Mediterranean countries as a result of immigration and the rise in oil prices if the Libyan issue were “Somalised”, would increase the chances of rocking the EU if it failed to constantly be compliant with the American dictations, such as admitting Turkey as a member.

We must not forget that dividing the region on ethnic and sectarian basis represents one of the cornerstones of the American project aimed at weakening and depleting the Ummah further. In fact the execution of the American project is built upon the premise that the Middle East region is volatile and unstable. The optimum way to maintain chaos, political void and instability, once the so-called Arab-“Israeli” struggle has ended by settling the Palestinian issue, would be to Balkanise the Middle East on ethnic and sectarian grounds.

13 Jumada al-Akhirah 1432
16 May 2011

www.hizbuttahrir.org