[DRB]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/19/bush.libya/index.html

Of course Libya has been working towards this for the last several years. They had been actively trying to resolve the Lockerbie thing for awhile, which now they have. Gadhafi had tossed out the terrorists and their training camps in the late 90's. He has basically distanced himself from the Arabs (he figured he was an African not Arab). But can it be said that the action the US/UK took towards Iraq put it over the edge? I think that it didn't hurt.

What else does this mean? That the US/UK can engage in diplomatic efforts to resolve these issues without resorting to force. Of course it takes TWO willing parties in order for diplomacy to work. Gadhafi was always viewed as a harder case than Saddam.

OF course I'm sure that there are those amongest you that will toss the OIL card out there. BUT Libya already has a well developed petroleum infrastructure in place and will not need much in the way of Western help to develop it. Except for markets which the West can certainly provide. Libya will become a very rich nation in the short term.

Whatelse does this mean? I suspect that we will hear from the Arabic press that this is another blow to their collective pride. Which is just what they need right now? Hopefully, they can see beyond their own anger and realize that diplomacy can work if they truly try. OR they can look towards Iraq for the other option available to them.

 

[N8 v2.0]

President Bush said he and PM Tony Blair had been working on this for 9 months and the media didn't know anything about it??????

I suppose the main stream media will just whaa-whaa because this administration keeps secrets.

I think Bush's hardline "War On Terrorism" stance contributed hugely to this effort check who the Axis-O-Evil was in May 02...


Cuba, Libya and Syria are added to Bush's 'axis of evil' (5/8/2002)
Sydney Morning Herald ^ | May 8, 2002 | By Gay Alcorn

The Bush Administration has pledged to take tough action against three new members of its ''axis of evil".

The White House claims that the three - Cuba, Libya and Syria - are developing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons in breach of international treaties.

President George Bush caused an international uproar when he called Iraq, Iran and North Korea an ''axis of evil". Yesterday, in a speech, ''Beyond the Axis of Evil", to the conservative Heritage Foundation, the Undersec-retary of State, John Bolton, claimed that Cuba was developing weapons of mass destruction.

''America is determined to prevent the next wave of terror," Mr Bolton said. ''States that renounce terror and abandon [weapons of mass destruction] can become part of our effort. But those that do not can expect to become our targets."

The threat from the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, an American nemesis since the 1959 communist revolution, had ''often been underplayed", Mr Bolton said.

He dismissed a 1998 government report that concluded that Cuba had only a ''limited capacity" to threaten Americans. It had been distorted by the influence of a spy for Havana, Ana Belen Montes, who pleaded guilty to espionage in March.

Mr Bolton said that Cuba had ''at least a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort", and had provided technology to other ''rogue" states.

He refused to name them, but Cuban defectors and United States officials have suggested that Cuba and Iran could be co-operating in biological warfare technology.

He noted that last year Dr Castro visited Iraq, Syria and Libya, all of them on America's list of state sponsors of terrorism, which also includes North Korea, the Sudan and Iran.

Recently, there have been moves in Congress and business leaders to relax the stand-off with Cuba. Jimmy Carter is due to visit Cuba next week, the first sitting or former US president to do so since Dr Castro came to power.

The White House is staunchly opposed to any thawing of relations, partly because of the voting power of Cuban-Americans in vital states.

There had also been signs that relations between the US and Libya had improved slightly, and Mr Bolton noted that Libya had expressed interest in joining the Chemical Weapons Convention. But he was sceptical. Libya had produced at least 100 tonnes of chemical weapons and was pursuing nuclear and biological weapons, he said.

Syria had stockpiles of the nerve agents, sarin and VX, and was able to produce small amounts of biological warfare agents. Mr Bolton made little mention of China and Russia, the main suppliers of nuclear and other material to ''rogue" states.

 

[N8 v2.0]

DamnitDamnitDamnitDamnitDamnit....

 

[Silver]

Yeah, we should be ****ting outselves worrying about Cuba.

Saudi Arabia? Pakistan? Nahhhhhh....

 

[DRB]

Originally posted by Silver
Yeah, we should be ****ting outselves worrying about Cuba.

Saudi Arabia? Pakistan? Nahhhhhh....

Okay since they didn't do everything at one time then its bad. Everyone gets pissed because we force Saddam out with force after years of trying diplomatically to do something.

Then when we work out a solution diplomatically with Lybia its the wrong country.

Maybe just maybe we get to those things that worry us most. With an open Lybian oil market coupled with Iraqi oil, what do you think that means for Saudi Arabia? All of a sudden the US isn't so beholden to Saudi oil and puts them in a little weaker position. Don't you think? Or will you complain about us putting pressure on Saudi Arabia when that times come. OF COURSE you will.

Your hatred of all things American is clouding your judgement and reason.

 

[DRB]

Originally posted by N8
The White House is staunchly opposed to any thawing of relations, partly because of the voting power of Cuban-Americans in vital states.

PARTLY? Partly my a$$, its completely based on this. Without the Cuban-Americans solidly in Bush's pocket, Al Gore is president. In the next election that will stay the same. Once the 2004 election is held and big business really starts to pressure Bush for access to Cuba watch what happens.

Cuba is about as much a threat as Idaho is, maybe less.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Looks like there are a couple openings on the Axis-o-Evil...

Perhaps Saudi Arabia and Pakistan should take note...

 

[Silver]

Originally posted by DRB
Okay since they didn't do everything at one time then its bad. Everyone gets pissed because we force Saddam out with force after years of trying diplomatically to do something.

Then when we work out a solution diplomatically with Lybia its the wrong country.

Maybe just maybe we get to those things that worry us most. With an open Lybian oil market coupled with Iraqi oil, what do you think that means for Saudi Arabia? All of a sudden the US isn't so beholden to Saudi oil and puts them in a little weaker position. Don't you think? Or will you complain about us putting pressure on Saudi Arabia when that times come. OF COURSE you will.

Your hatred of all things American is clouding your judgement and reason.

If you want me to, I'll go back and search for some of my old posts. I have said time and time again that we invaded the wrong country.

Bait and switch. Fvck Bush's "Axis of Evil," 9/11 had roots in one country. Saudi Arabia.

That's it. Not Iraq. Not Libya. Not North Korea. But, we're still handling the Saudis with kid gloves.

And yeah, I hate America. I hate it so much that I'm living here. Forgive me if I don't tattoo the stars and stripes on my ass, ok?

How many Cubans or Libyans or Iraqis had a hand in 9/11? So far, the answer seems to be zero.

 

[Spud]

Originally posted by DRB
.................

Cuba is about as much a threat as Idaho is, maybe less.

Big mistake amigo. From now on you'd better watch your six.... :devil:

Spud in Boise.