Friendship and cooperation with a failed state
Published:
March 31, 2011 at 1:05pm
Musa Kusa (centre) with his mates Franco Frattini of Italy (left) and Tonio Borg of Malta, in Madrid in February last year - AFP
Abdul Rahman Shalgam, former Libyan envoy to the United Nations, told Al Arabiya about Musa Kusa’s flight to Britain: “Musa Kusa is the black box of the Libyan regime, His defection signifies the end of that regime. I am not surprised by this news.(…) On my last visit to Libya, in November, I went to Kusa’s office, told him ‘Can you believe Libya is a failed state?’ He said, ‘Did you only now notice? Libya has been a failed state for tens of years.”
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Ma jippretendiex dan il-mahmug issa li ghax harab lil Gaddafi ghandna ninsew kull ma ghamel f` hajtu hux?
Dan ghandhom jinterrogawh fit-tul biex ikunu jafu min qatel lil WPC Fletcher meta hu kien ammbaxxatur tal -Libya gewwa Londra, jikxef il-kaz ta’ Lockerbie, u hafna kazi ohra li hu kien jaf daqs Gaddafi. U kif jispiccaw minnu jiehduh dritt gewwa il-qorti ta’ The Hague hallu jghadduh guri.
Scottish authorities have officially request to interview Musa Kusa over 1988 Lockerbie bombing in which 259 were killed.
A Libyan regime spokesman speaking today about Musa Kusa: “He is a tired old man with health problems. His body could not take the pressure. We gave him permission to leave for medical treatment in Tunisia.”
Knowing a little about how Gaddafi operates, Musa Kusa is a doomed man. I am almost certain that a hefty price has been placed for his head.
That won’t be much use once someone else gets hold of Gaddafi’s head.
Talking to an old uni friend this morning who works at the FCO and apparently they can’t believe their luck Koussa’s turned up on Britain’s doorstep. Mainly because it means if the rebels do seize power, they’ve got someone to deport in return for diplomatic favours, a la Megrahi.
He’s a sort of Rudolf Hess who during the WWII flew to Scotland with the vague hope of achieving peace. He finished up as a prisoner in Berlin under the Allies and died a few years ago without being reprieved.
Here’s an interesting article taken from this week’s The Eonomist. It’s about South Africa’s foreign policy and it shows what sitting on the fence and trying to be everyone’s friend at all times generally leads to and how it’s perceived.
All over the place
South Africa is joining the BRICs without much straw
Here’s the link.
http://www.economist.com/node/18447027?story_id=18447027
Don’t anyone be fooled, Moussa Koussa is a smooth operator. He’s an untouchable and him landing in the UK is no coincidence.
I agree with Troy. Koussa must have done his homework before going to Britain.
Please note that while Kusa was travelling to Britain, the staff at the Libyan embassy in Britain were being sent away. He probably informed Britain and its Allies about some imminent terrorist attack. We will be informed in due time.
I agree with Troy.
A BBC radio commentator has just pointed out that Musa Kusa left Tripoli on the morning when the news was breaking that Sirte had fallen to the rebels (later proven to have been false).
He may have thought it was all over for the regime and abandoned ship too early.
It is very obvious that this BBC commentator does not have a clue about this man Koussa.
He must have mistaken him for a cleaner or a security guard at the foreign ministry in Tripoli.
Koussa has been, for thirty years plus, one of the “brains” of the regime and the eminence grise behind Gaddafi.
There is no way he would have left unless he was absolutely sure that the end was nigh.
Frankie, we’re talking about the ex head of Gaddafi’s security and secret service, not ‘Ganni tal-hanut tal-kantuniera’.
http://www.bbcworldnews.com
1047: UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, at a briefing in London, has said Moussa Koussa has not been offered any immunity from prosecution. He said Mr Moussa had been his channel of communication to the Libyan regime in recent weeks. He reiterated previous calls for Col Gaddafi to go, and again encouraged those around Col Gaddafi to abandon him.
Libya regime spokesman confirms Kussa resignation
TRIPOLI, March 31, 2011 (AFP) – The Libyan government on Thursday confirmed the resignation of foreign minister Mussa Kussa and said he was allowed to leave the country for medical treatment in neighbouring Tunisia.
I can’t understand the mentality. I mean seriously. How could Shalgam have gone to Kusa and spoken to him in that matter with impunity?
How on earth did he get away with it? On the ther hand, why Kusa’s departure spells, for Shalgam at least, the end of the regime is another thing I don’t understand