Gaddafi forces recapture Ras Lanuf

Press TV

COMMENT by Tony Sayegh

On March 18 I wrote:

It is increasingly clear that the Western imperial powers, with Arab reactionary regimes cover, are putting into effect in Libya what I refer to as the Kissinger doctrine.

Watching the bizarre back and forth movement of forces along the Libyan coast only strengthens my belief that this is exactly what is going on.

The West does not want a clear Gaddafi defeat and his capture and trial. He would only expose all the Western hypocrisy and talk about all kinds of secret deals he concluded with the same imperial powers now claiming to be motivated by humanitarian concerns.

At the same time the imperial powers do not want the revolutionary forces to achieve a quick military victory and for them to gain the upper hand. In that fashion they will remain dependent on NATO and support will be given in proportion to concessions extracted from the "rebels."

Again it is as Kissinger said: Let them destroy each other, BUT NOT TOTALLY. That way, the conflict will endure, dependence on NATO will increase and ultimately will pave the way for NATO troops on the ground. All in the name of protecting civilians since the rebels are weak and "need years of training to be ready."

Does this not sound familiar? Is this not Iraq and Afghanistan all over again? When will the Libyan revolutionaries get their act together, purge their ranks of the Libyan Karzais and start depending on themselves? They need to secure their own, independent sources of arms, and definitely not from the US/NATO. All of the pronouncements from the US about whether or not to arm the "rebels" make me worry even more.

It is a critical time for the Libyan revolution. Stop firing in the air in celebration, because that is way too early. Make the tough decisions, implement discipline and start depending on yourselves. NATO and Qatar are not going to save you, they want to extract maximum concessions from you!

"Gaddafi forces recaptured the eastern oil town of Ras Lanuf on Wednesday, forcing the revolutionary forces to flee to the east, AFP reported. Aided by US-led military strikes, anti-Gaddafi forces had managed to seize a number of oil-rich towns in crisis-hit Libya, including Ras Lanuf and Brega in recent days. On Tuesday, Gaddafi troops reportedly launched a new attack on the on the positions of the revolutionary forces in Misratah, the town located some 200 kilometers east of the capital Tripoli...."