MOMCOM And The Sins of Libya

Libya provides a complete education to all students free of cost to them, from the kindergarten level up through the university level.

At least it did before it was invaded.

Libyans can purchase gasoline for their automobiles at a cost of 14 cents a litre.

At least they could before their nation was invaded.

Libya provides complete health care coverage to all of its citizens free of cost to them whatever their age.

At least it did before it was invaded.

Libya provides good labor laws "for workers’ compensation, pension rights, minimum rest periods, and maximum working hours."

At least it did before it was invaded.

That means women in that Islamic nation get a complete education for free, are cared for at no cost when their health is an issue, and can work in humane conditions, and wonder of wonders, women can drive automobiles in Libya.

At least it was that way before Libya was invaded.

Libya was categorized by the United Nations as a "High human development" country.

In that U.N. ranking, Libya even ranked above Saudi Arabia, for example (Saudi Arabian women cannot drive automobiles, or vote).

At least it was that way before Libya was invaded.

Libya provided $50,000 to newlyweds, and zero interest home loans to the citizens of that nation.

At least it did before it was invaded.

Ghastly, Eric Cantor must be turning over in his grave at night thinking about how to not let such sins take place in America.

But the worst thing Libya did, much like Iraq which also suffered an invasion, was to threaten to nationalize oil and stop using the U.S. dollar as the currency for oil trading:

Is Libya about to take the lead of its friends in Venezuela and Russia and launch a new round of energy-sector nationalism? The thought sends a shiver through the collective spines of ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil, Occidental Petroleum ... Amerada Hess ... and Royal Dutch Shell ... All have made massive new investments in Libya since Gaddafi renounced his nuclear weapons program, made reparations for past terrorist activities like the Lockerbie jetliner bombing and returned to the fold of seemingly responsible nations.

(Forbes). Now is not the decade for any nation to do that, other than Russia or China, because there will then be blood for oil upon any such nation.

The C.I.A. had grown accustomed to the Libya that would even read C.I.A. speeches (written by the C.I.A.) to inform the Libyan people:

The speech that appears to have been drafted for Colonel Qaddafi was found in the C.I.A. folder and appears to have been sent just before Christmas in 2003. The one-page speech seems intended to depict the Libyan dictator in a positive light. It concluded, using the revolutionary name for the Libyan government: “At a time when the world is celebrating the birth of Jesus, and as a token of our contributions towards a world full of peace, security, stability and compassion, the Great Jamhariya presents its honest call for a W.M.D.-free zone in the Middle East,” referring to weapons of mass destruction.

(NY Times). When the Libyan government began to think it was sovereign MOMCOM went ballistic.

Soon the rocket's red glare was everywhere revealing that our flag was still there, waving over the Libyan soil with the Libyan people's oil underneath, out of sight.

The next post in this series is here.

Additional Dredd Blog posts on this issue:

Iraq: Number One Oil Producer?

The Peak of the Oil Wars

Fleets & Terrorism Follow The Oil

The Virgin MOMCOM

See also: "Top Secret America" (Amazon)