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On Thu, Jun 11, 2020 at 8:47 AM Chris Slee via Marxism < marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote: > > https://www.juancole.com/2020/06/russia-conflict-heightening.html > > Not content with invading and occupying parts of Syria and Iraq, Erdogan > is intervening in the Libyan civil war. > > Chris might also have noted that Russia, not content with invading, bombing and occupying parts of Syria and Ukraine and annexing Crimea, is also intervening in the Libyan civil war. A world view, however, that has decided that the Turkish regime is the main enemy of the region's peoples, won't see the Russian role in the same light. Actually I agree with Chris regarding Turkey's intervention in Libya, and even more so about the fact that Erdogan has turned former anti-Assad rebels into mercenaries for Turkish geopolitical goals by sending them to Libya to fight for the Libyan government, which is hardly their concern. Neither side in Libya - the Turkish-backed government, nor the rebel LNA based in the east, led by former Libyan general, then CIA-asset Haftar, offer much that is substantially different to Libyans. However, when weighing up, it is important to remember a couple of things: Firstly, whatever one's view of the current Libyan government, it is a product of local Libyan developments, long before the Turkish intervention, and it is the internationally recognised government of Libya, holding its UN seat, without any egregious war crimes to its name that would stain its legitimacy in any major way; by contrast, the LNA is simply a regional project led by Haftar that wants to violently overthrow the government without offering anything better; and in its attacks on Tripoli, it has committed war crimes such as the shelling of hospitals. Second, while the Libyan government is backed by Turkey and Qatar, Haftar's LNA is backed by a literal mug's gallery of the regional counterrevolution: Russia, al-Sisi's Egyptian tyranny, the United Arab Emirates, the Saudis, Israel and the Assad regime, while also receiving some support from France and occasional encouraging words from Trump. Part of the reason for such a varied reactionary united front is the hostility of all these regimes to the regional Muslim Brotherhod, which plays a role in the Libyan government (which however cannot be thought of as in any way 'hard Islamist') and is backed regionally by Turkey and Qatar. Egypt and the UAE view Turkey/Qatar/MB as their main regional opponent, while Saudi Arabia sees them as its equal regional opponent alongside Iran. This has led to a sharp pro-Assad alliance by Egypt/UAE and a similar less sharp turn by the Saudis; all are strongly connected to Russia as well as the US. For Israel, the MB means Hamas, and also see Turkey/Qatar as its main supporters. Another aspect of this great game is the struggle over control of east Mediterranean gas supplies and its transport to Europe. This struggle pits an Israel-Egypt-Cyprus-Greece alliance against Turkey's rival claims, which it has tried to advance via the alliance with Libya. Interestingly though, despite Russia being a leading part of the anti-Turkish alliance in Libya, its Southstream gas project pumps Russian gas out into the Mediterranean through Turkey! gets very complicated! Even more so when Russia has also been involved in discussion with Israel about becoming part of its rival gas project. _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
