US offers more help as Libya battles militias
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered Libya more help last night as it seeks to rein in militias, stressing that Washington will remain a firm partner despite this month's deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
Clinton met Mohammed Magarief, who was elected to head Libya's ruling national assembly in August, and received his personal apology for the Sept. 11 attack, which killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
"What happened on 11th of September towards these U.S. citizens does not express in any way the conscience of the Libyan people, their aspirations, their hopes or their sentiments towards the American people," Magarief told Clinton at their meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session in New York.
A senior U.S. official said Clinton reviewed U.S. assistance to Libya as it works to secure chemical weapons and other dangerous armaments and to crack down on armed militia groups that have sprung up since the ouster of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.
"The secretary offered to intensify our support and help for the Libyan government in all of those areas," the official said following the meeting.
Clinton thanked Magarief for Libya's efforts thus far to investigate the attack, which has raised sensitive questions among U.S. lawmakers about the security measures in place to protect the U.S. Consulate and staff.
The Obama administration has described the incident as a "terrorist attack," and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a criminal investigation.
President Barack Obama, speaking at the taping of a television appearance said the incident was clearly more than just a protest that got out of hand.
"We're still doing an investigation. There's no doubt that the kind of weapons that were used, the ongoing assault, that it wasn't just a mob action. We don't have all the information," Obama said.
Magarief said last week that about 50 people had been arrested in connection with the Benghazi attack, although the interior minister put the figure far lower. Magarief said some of those arrested were not Libyans and were linked to al Qaeda, which carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
CRACKING DOWN ON MILITIAS
Libya's government has sought to impose order on armed groups that sprang up following the overthrow of Gaddafi. The country's military said it had removed the heads of two of the most powerful militias operating in Benghazi.
Clinton, in remarks at a separate development conference praised the people of Benghazi for taking to the streets to express their outrage over the militias.
"The people of the Arab world did not set out to trade the tyranny of a dictator for the tyranny of a mob. There is no dignity in that," Clinton said.
"The people of Benghazi sent this message loudly and clearly on Friday when they forcefully rejected the extremists in their midst and reclaimed the honor and dignity of a courageous city."
The senior U.S. official said Magarief listed extremist groups and "remnants" from the Gaddafi regime as the chief threats to Libyan security and said the country needed to build better cooperation with its neighbors to secure its borders.
Despite a temporary drawdown in U.S. personnel following the Benghazi attack, the official said security cooperation and training was ongoing and would expand now that the country has an elected leadership in place.
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Alfred Falzon
Sep 25th 2012, 10:32
Local prophets of doom are still hoping for a repeat of what is happening in Iraq or in Afghanistan, but to their dismay it will have to remain wishful thinking!
Libya, YES INDEED, is DIFFERENT in all aspects and is on the road to recovery thanks to the assistance of democratic countries and its freedom-loving people.
The process will take some time, in view of the fact that the country is awash with arms, including heavy weapons, and due to the huge swathes of desert land and hundreds-of-kilometres-long Saharan borders.
In due time, Libya will stand as another beacon of freedom for the rest of the Arab world and Africa!
The present legitimately elected Libyan government can NEVER allow the law of the jungle to prevail and those who fought ruthless murderer Kadhafi and his corrupt regime should know that their new challenging mission is now to help build Libya anew on the principles of fundamental human rights and justice for all!!
The Free Libyans will NEVER allow their country to put the clock back by tolerating other forms of extremism based on brutal tyranny and imposition!
Alfred A. Falzon
Alfred J. McEwen
Sep 25th 2012, 11:42
Alfred J. McEwen
@Alfred A. Falzon
Your last paragraph brings hope that the present leadership will prevent any form of extremism is commendable, but somewhat divorced from reality. As long as external forces remain at play there remains a doubt that the situation will turn into a democratic one, and besides the Arabs are dead against western democracy no matter how hard it is for one to imagine otherwise. No country on earth is going to reform what their culture has been practicing for hundreds of years. The bottom line is that these people don`t want change and hate anyone that tries to modify their cultural existence and no one can blame them up to a point, even while recieving help from the very countries they despise.
Bill Khan
Sep 25th 2012, 16:43
@ Alfred Falzon
'The Free Libyans will NEVER allow their country to put the clock back by tolerating other forms of extremism based on brutal tyranny and imposition!
There was nothing more extreme than the NATO bombing of length and breath of Libya causing the deaths of more than fifty thousand people a figure now being accepted by the Human watch and being debated in teh UN circles. Just becauise this tyranny did not appear on our screens does not meen it did not take place. And the militia that were trained and supported by the west and which help toppe Gaddafi in the most extreme way are being driven out. is that 'you were needed then now we are incharge and you get nothing and no say in running Libya'. Force begets force' they are being driven out forcibly. It will be silly to imagine they will idly sit by and leave Libya and its oil in the hands of the few. This Libya givernment is only a rubber stamp government. There is now a much greater seething of tribal unhappy going on in Libya than ever before. using faniful woprds of 'democracy' and civilised behaviour is not going to be enough in the coming months in Libya. Sorry for shattering your dreams for Libya. It is one difficult land. Sadly only a person of Gaddafi calibre could handle it. And now he is gone. That is why his son is being kept on the side to seek his help at an appropriate time.
Ethelbert Schembri
Sep 25th 2012, 09:13
So now they are called militants and they want to IMPOSE ORDER over them ???
Aren't these the same people that some time ago they used to go by the name of rebels fighting for freedom and democracy ??
Now, why are they not left and protected by NATO to show their dissent ??
Remember that as they said, it is democratic to show your opposition to your rulers!!!
Alfred Falzon
Sep 25th 2012, 10:40
@ Ethelbert Schembri
Unruly mobs, foreign "agents provocateurs" and elements of Al-Qaeda do not constitute legitimate protests let alone the brutal assassination of foreign diplomats who are supposed to enjoy full protection by the host country.
These are lawless mobs triggered by hidden agendas that will be disclosed in due time.
The law of the jungle will not prevail in the new Libya, rest assured!
Alfred A. Falzon
Bill Khan
Sep 25th 2012, 13:05
@ Alfred Falzon
'Unruly mobs, foreign "agents provocateurs" and elements of Al-Qaeda do not constitute legitimate protests let alone the brutal assassination of foreign diplomats who are supposed to enjoy full protection by the host country.'
Mr. Falzon perhaps you got it wrong. Here we are talking of Libya not Syria where the 'Unruly mobs, foreign provocateurs, and elements of Al Qaeda are financed and trained by the west, the Saudis and the Qataris.
And in that country the Russians and the Chinese are offering help to the Syrian government to route out the' froeign provocateurs, Unruly mobs and elements of the Al Qaeda supported by the west and two best fully functioning democracies Saudi and Qatar.
Ethelbert Schembri
Sep 25th 2012, 16:18
@ Alfred Falzon
I don't know if by your comment I should cry or laugh, these are the same mobs that Gaddafi was trying to defend Libya and the Libyan people from.. This is exposing the hypocrisy of all those that wanted him killed !!
Alfred J. McEwen
Sep 25th 2012, 08:51
Alfred J. McEwen
The United States should leave Libya well alone to sort out it`s domestic problems, any interference is going to make matters worse, rather than eliminate militias these ``private armies`` will multiply and start attacking the leadership for being in cahoots with the U.S. and the West. It is a well known fact that the Arab world has`nt much affinity for the West, and being a tinder box someone over there will start an uprising and a hate campaign against all those who are aligned with it. The Arab world is best left alone to sort out their problems on their own without the interference from the West or Russia.
Paul Bajada
Sep 25th 2012, 07:30
qed naraha d demokrazija kemm giet tigri l libya. Fejn huma l kuntratti u l business opportunities li weghduna meta l libya tehles minn Gaddafi?
Ghax sissa iktar rajt investiment Malti gewwa l libya milli vici versa......
John Borg
Sep 25th 2012, 23:03
Mhux qabel ma tistenna il business opportunities,taghti cans lil Libya tissetilja....Imma veru inti selfish hi...U jekk inti rajt investments ta Malta gewwa il-Libya milli vici versa,,mhux xorta,il- Maltin qiedin igawdu??
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