2016: Canada considers new Libya military mission?

[The Bread Guy]

In case you're interested, an intriguing guide (17 page PDF, from 2013) to the good & bad guys in Libya from globalsecurity.org - enjoy!

Edited to add another ref (31 pg PDF, from 2014) with a rundown of all sides, recommended by the author of the link shown above.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Tripoli, a Tense and Listless City With Gunmen and a Well-Stocked Hugo Boss Outlet

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/world/middleeast/tripoli-a-tense-and-listless-city-with-gunmen-and-a-well-stocked-boss-outlet.html mc=edit_th_20160307&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=18033910&_r=0

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest:  "Canada wants long-term plan before saying 'yes' to new Libyan anti-ISIL mission":

Canada would need to hear a number of things from its allies — notably a long-term strategy — before deciding to commit troops to an Italian-led training mission in Libya to counter the advance of Islamic extremists, says Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

Signs that western allies are preparing for some kind of intervention in the North African country have been growing stronger in the last few weeks and Sajjan has already indicated that the Trudeau government is willing to consider some kind of involvement.

The signals became stronger in the last few days with reports in Europe that a mission to train and advise Libyan security forces was coming soon and Britain might contribute 1,000 troops.

Sajjan says Canada is monitoring the situation and no decision has been made.

But he revealed it was a topic of conversation with the German defence minister this week and that the Italians have put a series of recommendations in front of allies.

"Once we have an opportunity to hear that and digest that information, we'll decide as a government if we are going to be involved and what type of involvement we will have," Sajjan said in a conference call from Germany late Wednesday ...

 

[The Bread Guy]

I think this headline sort of sums up the current situation ...
"Libya now has three governments, none of which can actually govern"

 

[Kirkhill]

Libya as it has always been:

Hellenic Cyrenaica.  Carthaginian (Phoenician) Africa. Berbers in the desert.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest, shared under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42) ...

Canada's top general says military intervention in Libya is not inevitable.

Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of the defence staff, says he's not advocating one way or another for Canada to join a possible western military coalition in Libya.

He says it is not inevitable that a new military mission will be needed to get rid of Islamic militants in Libya, but he's keeping a close watch so he can advise the government.

Vance says much will depend on the performance of Libya's new, United Nations-brokered government and what assistance it may ask for.

Vance says the foothold gained by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya's port city of Sirte remains a serious impediment to stabilizing the country.

But he says simply throwing military assets at the situation is not a solution on its own.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Uh, yeah, that would be good ...

"UN envoy: Libyan forces should fight IS, not each other"

 

[daftandbarmy]

Uh, yeah, that would be good ...

"UN envoy: Libyan forces should fight IS, not each other"

Looks like not much has changed since 1916:

The revolt began in 1916 with an estimated 30,000 Bedouins and other tribesmen. To assemble this army, Hussein made deals with various families, clans, and tribes such as the Howeitat and Ruwalla. Many of these irregulars would only fight close to home; all had to be paid. Some tribes would not fight alongside others because of feuds. Most were capricious warriors, battling furiously when the looting was good and the enemy weak, drifting back to their villages when they became bored.

http://www.historynet.com/creating-chaos-lawrence-of-arabia-and-the-1916-arab-revolt.htm

 

[jollyjacktar]

Looks like not much has changed since 1916 BC:

The revolt began in 1916 with an estimated 30,000 Bedouins and other tribesmen. To assemble this army, Hussein made deals with various families, clans, and tribes such as the Howeitat and Ruwalla. Many of these irregulars would only fight close to home; all had to be paid. Some tribes would not fight alongside others because of feuds. Most were capricious warriors, battling furiously when the looting was good and the enemy weak, drifting back to their villages when they became bored.

http://www.historynet.com/creating-chaos-lawrence-of-arabia-and-the-1916-arab-revolt.htm

FTFY

 

[The Bread Guy]

And nothing says, "fueled instability" like questionable currency in the land ...

• "After a plane-load of Russian-printed banknotes landed in eastern Libya this week, residents rushed to collect long-delayed salaries. In Tripoli, where notes dispatched from Britain are yet to be distributed, people queued in vain to withdraw cash ..."
• "Diplomats fear economic chaos as new Russian-made banknotes are distributed in Libya"

And just think - "they" say this is ISIS/ISIL/Daesh's next 'hood once Syria's been ... disinfected.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Globe & Mail, 15 Sept 2016:  "Canada took part in secret operation to destroy Libyan chemical weapons"

How "secret" could it have been?

9 Sept 2016:  "Canada welcomes completion of chemical weapons removal from Libya" (GoC Info-machine Canada News Centre)

 

[Cloud Cover]

Well,of course they never miss a chance to "unzip" the purse and "whip out" the cheque books.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Well,of course they never miss a chance to "unzip" the purse and "whip out" the cheque books.

And if ISIS got a hold of Libya's chemical weapons, it would have been "Sunny Ways didn't stop that, did it?" right? 

 

[Cloud Cover]

I didn't say that, Im just pointing out they would rather write checks than do something that involves, well, doing something.  I suppose we could blame Harper for not having his bombers target that particular arsenal, but that would be pretending something else.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I didn't say that, Im just pointing out they would rather write checks than do something that involves, well, doing something.

Well, Canada did pay for the special tanks used to help get rid of some nasty stuff.  Even if we didn't blow the crap out of anything (which has had, in hindsight, mixed reviews from previous engagements, where Canada punched above its weight), Canada did something. 

And the U.S. is blowing stuff up in Libya, and chose not to blow this stuff up, so it needed taking care of.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I didn't say that, Im just pointing out they would rather write checks than do something that involves, well, doing something.  I suppose we could blame Harper for not having his bombers target that particular arsenal, but that would be pretending something else.

Of course, the correct approach is to spark an internecine feud that sees the bad guys blowing up each others' arsenal while we sit back and watch, but who's counting....

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Sometimes blowing up chemical arsenals has negative side effects.  :nod: