Colonel Moammar al-Gaddafi, our good friend, dealing now in smaller WMDs

[bushmeister0]

"The good Lord didn’t see fit to put oil and gas only where there are democratic regimes
friendly to the United States” - Richard Cheney

The AP reports that the Italians, by accident, uncovered a Libyan deal to buy "$64 million" worth of "hundreds of thousands of Chinese-made assault rifles."

"The case, detailed in documents obtained by The Associated Press, raises questions about whether Libya, a country eagerly shedding its reputation as a sponsor of terrorism, is still surreptitiously supporting suspect groups and regimes . . . court papers say at least part of the shipment was expected to go to other countries, and experts believe likely destinations were African countries including war-torn Chad and Sudan, where killings of civilians are widespread."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080412/ap_on_re_af/guns_for_libya;_ylt=AnGc6e3Q5I5iWkpobm1iOi0UewgF

How about that?

Sure, Moammar gave up his WMDs, such as they were, and became a "statesman," according to former UK foreign minister Jack Straw, and as W. claimed also "renounced all acts of terrorism and pledged cooperation in the international fight against terrorism,"
but it looks like, despite all the hype, he's still up to his old tricks.

Funny how the Chinese (our good, peace loving, torch barring friends) are involved in this whole buisness, too.

The AP:

"Since the 1 million-gun order for Libya was daunting, the Italians decided to seek an initial 500,000 rifles and 10 million bullets in China, according to the arrest warrants issued in Perugia. They held talks with a trading company called China Jing An Import & Export Corporation, which in turn was to procure the arms from China's giant, state-owned North Industries Corp., also known as Norinco. In 2005, the U.S. government barred Norinco from doing business in the United States, accusing the company of helping Iran's missile program. Norinco has denied that allegation."

The Norinco web site states:

"Bearing the brand of NORINCO, the company has gained trust from clients for its high quality products and excellent service. Meanwhile the company has established a global operation and information network and formed a worldwide market set-up. Over the years, the company has been focusing on meeting the ever-changing market needs. As a market needs driven company, we have strong capabilities for comprehensive integration and quick reaction."

http://www.army-technology.com/contractors/machine_guns/norinco/

I bet, like the situation in Tibet right now, you really need a company which can react quickly to something like that:

For instance . . .

"RIOT CONTROL EQUIPMENT:

To aid and protect riot control personnel, the company supplies anti-riot body armor and shields, capturing nets, gas masks, water jet exploder-disrupter, road blocks and anti-riot vehicle."

And, luckily for the Libyans . . .

"FIREARMS AND AMMUNITIONS

The company manufactures a wide range of firearms and ammunition. It manufactures sporting rifles and in the shotgun category has single-barrel shotguns, side-by-side shotguns, pump-action shotguns and semi-automatic shotguns. The company also manufactures muzzleloaders, SKS series semi-auto rifles, 56s series semi-automatic sport rifles, air guns, handguns and a wide range of ammunition."

As George W. Bush said upon announcing our new found friendship with the oil rich Lockerbee bomber (you know who):

"As Libya becomes a more peaceful nation, it can be a source of stability in Africa and the Middle East."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3336159.stm

Can't you just feel the stability?

Why are we so into the Libyans right now? Well . . .

"A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPORT OPPORTUNITY:

With its reserves of 39 billion barrels of proven crude oil (OPEC figures) Libya has the largest reserve base in Africa (42%) and 3% of world reserves. Libya aims to boost oil production from today's 1.6 million b/d to 2 million b/d by 2008/10 and 3 million b/d by 2015, which is estimated to require an investment of around US $30 billion. . .

The U.S. Department of Commerce has granted Trade Fair Certification for this first official exhibition in Libya and for a U.S. Pavilion at the Infrastructure Libya Exhibition. The Department has stated it believes the exhibitions will be an excellent opportunity for U.S. companies to showcase their products and services."

http://www.tradefairgroup.com/libyaoilandgas/index.asp

And, an interesting little tid-bit from Citizenworks.org:

(From 1995, while Dick Cheney was CEO of Halliburton)

"Halliburton pleads guilty to criminal charges of violating a U.S. ban on exports to Libya by selling
Col. Qaddafi six pulse neutron generators, devices that can be used to detonate nuclear weapons. Halliburton pays a $3.8 million penalty to settle alleged violations of the U.S. trade ban."

http://www.citizenworks.org/corp/warcontracts/cheney-halliburton.pdf

That must have hurt! But all is forgiven now.

W.:

"I hope that other leaders will find an example in Libya's announcement today . . . when leaders make the wise and responsible choice, when they renounce terror and weapons of mass destruction, as Colonel Gaddafi has now done, they serve the interest of their own people and they add to the security of all nations."

Right, or they serve the interest of the multinationals at the expense of the peoples, in this case, of Africa.

I wonder where Gaddafi was going to send those Chinese AK-47s; Darfur, perhaps?

They may need then closer to home soon, though.

It's not just Tibet:

NEWSWEEK (April 2):

Just two weeks after Tibetan monks first took to the streets in protest against Chinese rule, unrest broke out among Muslim Uighurs in China's remote Xinjiang region. Details about the demonstrations remain murky, but Rebiya Kadeer, president of the World Uighur Congress, believes that at least 400 people are being held in detention. Kadeer, 61, says the outburst was triggered by a combination of factors, including the death in detention of local businessman and philanthropist Mutallip Hajim; a Chinese-imposed 10 p.m. curfew in the southern Silk Road regions of Kashgar and Khotan on March 11, one day after the monks' protests began in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, and subsequent attempts to prevent Muslim Uighur women wearing head scarves that led to protests by at least 1,000 women in Khotan on March 23 and 24."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/130198

The wheels are coming off, but no one cares as long as they keep lending us money, I guess. Follow the money, as always.

[thunder rising]

1. Hmmm...why would the Libyans go to Italy to buy AKs from China. Smell test?

And who are the Italians claiming to arrest?

[bushmeister0]

2. You know, the usual suspects.

The gist of the story is that the Libyans, who live right across the Italian's Mare Nostrum, were looking for people who could deal in ilicit arms, and the Mafia was more than happy to oblige, but when the Italians looked at the sheer numbers of arms, they naturally went to the Chinese. Who else?

Old habits due hard for the Moammar and Co. They can't pull thiskind of crap out in the open anymore, although if they could I'm sure there would be plenty of US firms happy to oblige, so they deal with they people they know best, the Mafia; the Chinese, and probably even the Albanians if they could trust them further than they can throw them.