Daphne, the “difficulty [!] history”, as your euphemism goes, the Vatican or the Catholics or the Christians have with the Muslims is still in process, in Lebanon, in the PA, in Turkey, in Iran, and in numerous other Muslim countries in the world; they are being slaughtered, driven out, stoned, and the Vatican does not say that much even about that, perhaps in part because that could cause much more of that butchering in the name of the religion of peace, also in Europe. And the Vatican is not an NGO, it cannot easily issue statements of solidarity with people of whom it only knows that some of them state that Gaddafi should die on a cross while being stoned and that his agony should take a long long time. The Pope is a Christian, as far as I know.

Ooops! That little accident must have happened while I was re-editing my comment. Of course I meant to say “no non-Muslim”, i.e. no Christian, no Atheist, no Jew, no Buddhist or Hindu either. I had already been quite sure that Libya is “judenrein,” of course. But I didn’t know yet that, for instance, there is no Libyan Christian or Lybian Atheist nowhere in the whole world to be found.
As far as non-Libyans currently staying in Libya are concerned, you may be right, too. Indeed I have just read at Serbianna that “[s]ome 50 Serbs have been attacked and robbed by armed Libyans,” but that their oil firm “claims that all of them are alive.”
The Serbs reportedly wrote in an email, ‘We don’t have arms, and we expect soon another attack, to come back and take what they didn’t.” So Christians might only be robbed at the time and not killed, by whomever, in Libya. Well then, maybe even only that would already well be worth a message of solidarity by the Vatican to the protesters!

Give me an example of this please. I work for ENI in HSE and would love your input and in-depth knowledge on “raping the Delta” oilspills and all, plus the cause and effect as it relates to ENI negligence as you accuse in Nigeria.

[Daphne – No, Angus, I just have insight into human nature, common sense and – this is the most important bit – the Libyans I know are not friends of Gaddafi or part of his regime. I didn’t need hindsight to work out that once Egypt and Tunisia ‘went down’, Libya would be next. I knew that Gaddafi was absolutely detested and that his people lived in the sort of fear that Egyptians and Tunisians could only imagine (and that’s saying something), and that basic human psychology would see this as their now-or-never chance to get shot of him.]

Then how come the ‘trained professionals’ from Britain, the USA and others did not order their citizens out of Tunesia, Egypt and Libya mere days before the protesters hit the streets? Many had predicted a domino effect once the s**t hit the fan in Tunesia, but who next? When? So now, who follows Libya? Bahrein? Algiers? When?

[Daphne – Because they kept hoping it wouldn’t happen, as they had too much invested. What is it called in economy theory – loss aversion? Yes, I think that’s it. When you don’t have much to lose, you cut those few losses and run. But when you stand to lose millions, you stay on and hope for the best. You even delude yourself into thinking that it can never happen.]

No, Gonzi did not condemn the treatment of those protesting in the streets! Would he have had reason or even bothered, had the ‘treatment’ not been violent or worse, deadly?

The British, Americans and others can afford to denounce in strong terms because they have ‘gadzillions invested in Libya’ although I suspect that the other reasons include the thirst of Libyan oil and enough power to wipe the smirk off Gadafi’s face, once and for all – at least even a little stronger taste of Reagan’s limited solution!

[Daphne – I don’t agree with you. It’s the other way round. Britain and America have been harsh in their criticism DESPITE having thousands of their citizens still in Libya and billions invested there. Now look to Malta, where people are saying: Ah, but the government can’t afford to be forthright because Maltese businesses have investments there and there are still Maltese workers in Libya.]

Let’s face it, during the 42 years of Gadafi’s reign, he did a lot of horrible things to his own people, implicated others in acts of terrorism which he authored or abetted himself and no one raised a finger.

Maybe little Malta whose AFs have just been strengthened by two French fighters and two helicopters may hire the Libyan pilots (on a contract basis) and send them out to finish off Gadafi and liberate Libya.

[Daphne – You know, I was just thinking that this afternoon. But then the other 450 would be here in 10 minutes and wipe us out.]

Can you imagine how many brownie points Malta will earn with the USA and Britain?

Just to put everything in its perspective, other EU countries have invested heavily in Libya since 2008. Not least the UK with an estimated £1.5 billion a year worth of business with Libya, soaring exports (it increased by over 50% between 2008 and 2009) and more than 150 UK-based companies that operate in the country.

In 2007, BP signed an oil exploration deal worth around £550 million. Libya produces around 1.7 million barrels of oil a day making one of Africa’s largest oil producers and is Europe’s single biggest supplier.

In addition, 8000 Libyans are currently studying at UK universities, 5,000 of them with Libyan-funded (regime) scholarships, and over 4,000 Libyan doctors are either working or training in the UK.

This is similar to the situation with China – everyone would like to see an increase in democracy in China but at the same time, everyone is looking at the investment opportunities with China. Same with Russia.

Unfortunately, this is the real world where idealism has disappeared and everything revolves around money and business.

Having said that, my major worries at the moment are my Libyan friends who were either fellow postgrad students or my own students, as I know that these were quite anti-Ghadafi and I have had no news from them in the past few days. I just hope that everything is fine wth them and their families.

If any sucking up took place, it was a long time ago and which set the scenario for today’s dilemma faced by the government.

Keeping in mind that there are several hundred Libyan firms/businesses etc. registered with MFSA and 300 Maltese citizens earning their daily bread in Libya, it is not that easy to outrightly point accusing fingers at Gaddafi without putting our own citizens and trade relations in extreme jeopardy.

Diplomacy sometimes wins over knee jerk reactions such as suggesting that out of other countries’ turmoil, Malta stands to gain. Indeed the events in Libya proved how ill thought such a statement was.

With regard to Dr. Gonzi being remembered as one of the last statesmen visiting Gaddafi just prior to the fatal protests by Libyans, I would challenge anyone to categorally state that they anticipated these events. If they did, why did they stay silent?

[Daphne – I anticipated them, Angus, and I am just a columnist with a blog. The unrest in Benghazi had begun already when our prime minister visited. The Foreign Office, diplomats and advisers exist for just this sort of reason, among others: to apprise their political bosses of situations and advise them as to whether certain action is advisable or inadvisable. Look at the US Wikileaks cables – do you honestly think our diplomats are gathering or communicating that level of detailed information, with such insight into the characters and personalities of those they meet?]

Not the CIA, not British intelligence anticipated Tunesia and Egypt and much less Libya, so why expect Malta with its limited Security Intelligence to be in a position to advise the Prime Minister that his pending visit would be inopportune?

[Daphne – Excuse me while I yell. BECAUSE EGYPT AND TUNISIA’S DICTATORS HAD GONE BY THEN AND IT WAS BLOODY OBVIOUS THAT THE LIBYANS, FAR MORE OPPRESSED AND SUPPRESSED THAN THEIR NEIGHBOURS, WOULD SEIZE THEIR CHANCE IN A NOW OR NEVER GAMBLE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A BRAINIAC TO WORK THAT ONE OUT.]

Was Lawrence Gonzi not one of the first to condemn the violent way the protesters were treated? If my memory serves me right, the PM’s statement came before any significant condemnation came from the US State Department or from official British sources.

[Daphne – 1. He didn’t condemn the way the protestors were ‘treated’. He condemned ‘violence’. 2. The prime minister did not issue a statement. He answered a reporter’s question in passing when he passed by on the steps to his office. The first to condemn the violence in a specific and direct way was British foreign secretary William Hague, and that’s from a country with gadzillions invested in Libya and thousands of British subjects still trapped in the country when the statement was made.]

Joseph’s wish may come woefully true and he did not have to establish a travel agency in Libya in order to attract ‘tourists’ to Malta. He is currently sheltered under a rock where he feels comfortable and away from public scrutiny.

Besides, once the turmoil is (hopefully soon) over, these same Maltese businessmen would be in a uniquely advantageous position in the new Libya.

If things go well (again hopefully soon), it would be the turn of the new authorities in Libya to suck up to foreign businesses to help create jobs and a normal life to Libyans. The oil wealth cannot last forever and cannot provide for all the needs of every Libyan.