Italy to supply Libyan rebels with weapons - spokesman

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

Sat May 7, 2011 5:28pm GMT

BENGHAZI, Libya May 7 (Reuters) - Libyan rebels fighting to oust Muammar Gaddafi said on Saturday they have reached an agreement with Italy to supply them with whatever weapons they need, a rebel spokesman said.

Abdel-Hafiz Ghoga, speaking at a news conference in the eastern city of Benghazi, declined to specify what kind of weapons would be provided. (Reporting by Deepa Babington, Writing by Sami Aboudi in Cairo.

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE7460AH20110507

[itsrobert]

1. Who is footing the bill?

?

[Poll_Blind]

2. There was a typo in that headline. It should read:

"Italy will supply whatever weapons needed to liberate Libya's OIL"

To wit,



Full-size version HERE

Italy imports more oil from Libya than any other nation. Somebody's getting desperate!

PB

[gateley]

4. I'm cool with that. If they can help each other, that's good. Better

than helping Quaddafi.

[Poll_Blind]

5. When it comes to the "first world" exploiting the "third world" for natural resources...

...what appears to be "help", now, will not be so altruistic down the road.

But I certainly understand your viewpoint in the immediacy of the moment. Let's just hope whomever replaces him is more a friend to the Libyan people than to the Italian energy industry.

PB

[gateley]

6. I of course agree with your comment, but I'm thinking that if the

Rebels are victorious their new government will still be counting on oil revenues, and if Italy is their largest customer, they can continue their business. I don't think Italy's actions are purely altruistic, no country can afford to do that, but if this report is accurate, it seems to me to be pretty much a win/win.

[Iterate]

3. Italy denies has offered arms to Libya rebels

Sat May 7, 2011 5:43pm GMT

ITALY FOREIGN MINISTRY - WILL ONLY OFFER LIBYA REBELS EQUIPMENT FOR SELF-DEFENCE, AS AGREED WITH CONTACT GROUP IN DOHA

http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE7460AT20110507

Sorry about the caps, but as you know that's what Reuters does when it gets excited and starts pissing all over itself. That's about the third time in as many days that some news agency has found a "rebel spokesman" that's had a report that's been quickly denied or at least refined. I don't know if the problem is with the press or a new government that isn't quite organized yet. I suppose we should worry more if they we practiced and perfect right out of the box.

On the other hand, maybe this Reuters story is the one that's inaccurate. We'll have to wait and see.

[nradisic]

7. good for them...

It's either that or Italy will have a massive illegal immigration problem on its southern shores and a shortage of oil. Neither is palatable and no one else is in the same position as Italy given their proximity and dependence of Lybian oil.