The New York Times's Background on Libya
We present this article for a background of the current situation in Libya. Unfortunately, it touches all areas while not going In-depth in any particular topic. Needed is more in-depth, INFORMED articles. Case in Point:
Mr. Walsh notes: “On the eastern side of the city, the attack is led by IBRAHIM JATHRAN, A YOUNG MILITIA COMMANDER who controls a stretch of coast known as the oil crescent, where most of Libya’s oil terminals are. In recent days, his group seized the coastal town of Bin Jawad and claimed on Tuesday to have moved on nearby Nawfaliyah.
That would bring his group, known as the Petroleum Facilities Guard, within 80 miles of Surt.”
Ibrahim Jathran
“A young militia commander” – as though Mr. Jathran were just a sprouting hero-in-the-making. Actually, Mr. Jathran is anything but “young” with the implication of inexperience - he is a crafty. shrewd political operator. Probably – after Mr. Heftar – Mr. Jathran is the one person which Libyans can pin the degradation of THEIR economy to his chest. This isn’t our call – that's the Libyan National Oil Company Chairman who stated that over the last 3 years Libya has lost $68 Billion in lost (oil) revenues. Reported in Reuters on 25 January 2016 – it was certainly available to Mr. Walsh a few days ago.
Reuters:
“Libya lost $68 bln in oil revenue since 2013 – NOC”
“National Oil Corp Chairman Mustafa Sanallah “blamed most of Libya’s loss in oil revenue on Petroleum Facilities Guards which seized control over key export facilities of Zueitina, Ras Lanuf and Es Sider.”
Ibrahim Jathran is the head of those “Petroleum Facilities Guards which seized control over key export facilities of Zueitina, Ras Lanuf and Es Sider.” Mr. Jathran’s actions have been the subject of a series of our articles starting in 2014. They are contained in our file: "The Ari Ben-Menashe – Ibrahim Jathran Documents Filed with the US Government."
The fact is Mr. Jathran and other federalist politicians shrewdly hired one of the most contentious, politically-connected lobbyists in Washington. As a result, besides arguably ruining the Libyan economy, Mr. Jathran, his band of political federalists and THEIR Washington lobbyist's actions resulted in the previous oil tanker episode known as the Morning Glory incident. This is the subject of our article: “Morning Glory: A Jathran-ian Tale of Intrigue, Oil Assets and Hypocrisy”.
That 2014 incident found Mr. Jathran trying to sell illicit oil which resulted in American Special Forces commandeering and returning the tanker and its contents to Libya. As a result of the Morning Glory incident - was Mr. Jathran imprisoned in Libya? No, actually he was appeased and rewarded with financial aid and position from the existing government. Hence, Mr. Jathran – by force – became a player on the Libyan political landscape. Again, Mr. Jathran has lived a lifetime in three years and is anything but “young.”
His US Government FARA documents are in our 21 January 2014 article: "The Ari Ben-Menashe – Ibrahim Jathran Documents Filed with the US Government".
About that lobbyist - Ari Ben Menashe - we refer to Dr. Howard Adelman, an internationally renowned Canadian philosopher who graciously - at our request - provided his insight into the Libya’s asset recovery scandal. We, at The New Libya Report, thank him again for his time and effort. Dr. Adelman’s exceptionally informative site is "Howard Adelman, Politics, philosophy, film, and other things…"
Dr. Adelman wrote this passage discussing Ari Ben Menashe’s past connections to the American Government. Interesting considering Mr. Menashe links to the US government and that he has been working constantly as a lobbyist in Libya since 2013. At present he is now simultaneously working for two Libyan political factions. More intriguing is that while working as Ibrahim Jathran’s agent the April 2014 Morning Glory oil tanker incident occurred as a DIRECT RESULT of Mr. Menashe’s stated lobbying activities. In those three articles, Dr. Adelman characterized Mr. Jathran lobbyist as:
“The bottom line, of the three questionable agents in the race to recover the stolen loot, Menashe is by far the most experienced. After his service to Mossad, he went on to help ensure the election of Ronald Reagan in the fight against Jimmy Carter. He traces his résumé back to the election of Ronald Reagan for he was the agent who went to Tehran to persuade the government to continued holding the American hostages until after the election, thereby ensuring that Carter continue to bear the Scarlet letter of his inability to get the hostages returned while Reagan would enjoy the glory as part of his inauguration. Menashe was central in the Iran-Contra scandal and earlier in the plot to abduct Mordechai Vanunu from London and have him returned to Israel where Venunu spent decades in prison. Menashe’s apparent biggest handicap is that he has ostensibly been employed by the nominal government in Benghazi associated with al-Qaeda and, other than IS, least acceptable to Egypt, Russia and the U.S.”
As such we can confidently declare that Mr. Jathran's shrew choice of THAT lobbyist makes him much, much more than just a "young militia commander".
We thank Mr. Walsh, but request something more substantive.
Applicable links:
DECLAN WALSH The New York Times: “Militias in Libya Advance on ISIS Stronghold of Surt With Separate Agendas”
Reuters: “Libya lost $68 bln in oil revenue since 2013 – NOC”
Our article: “Morning Glory: A Jathran-ian Tale of Intrigue, Oil Assets and Hypocrisy”
Our collection of articles on Ibrahim Jathran: Ibrahim Jathran – Ari Ben-Menashe – US Government Documents
The prominent Canadian philosopher and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at York University, Dr. Howard Adelman has given his critical insight into the issue of Libyan Assets Recovery for which we thank him.
Dr. Adelman’s site is Howard Adelman, Politics, philosophy, film, and other things…
Dr. Adelman’s article on Ari Ben Menashe: “The Competition: Libya and its Fortune Hunters”
“Simultaneously working for two Libyan political factions.”
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