It’s not the cynical answer Dr Saliba, but the only answer. Yes, hand him over to whoever want him, in return for Martin Galea.

The Deputy Libyan PM, who is hated by his own people, bar a few of his acolytes, would make an excellent bargaining chip.

That’s assuming the Maltese government can make contact with the group, or the individuals, holding Martin Galea.

For fifty years now (since 1964), Maltese foreign and defence policy has been run by a bunch of amateurs, jacked-up lawyers and doctors who couldn’t even place Libya on a map. And lately by businessmen with warehouses in Libya, on the assumption that they would be experts on Libyan policy. Some experts.

The Maltese government also suffers from some serious delusions about the capabilities of its military, and its security service, whatever that is.

I assume the people flown by Manuel Mallia IN SECRET (oh, we love to use the big words like that fellow Clancy!) to Libya are just former or current police officers carrying no weapons, but a large briefcase full of cash. Because out of all the possible options, that’s the only one for which we have the capability.

And it’s all because we wanted to do things on our own minghajr idhil barrani. Then we whine that m’hawnx talent.

Dr. Gonzi managed the situation so professionally despite the fact that he had Franco Debono, JPO and others harassing him all the time. Oh how I miss the PN in government!

Meaning ” I am not going to Libya anytime soon – not even after I said that it was “safe” not so long ago. Not if I can avoid it! What do you think I am? An idiot?”

I am intrigued by the Baxterian method.

To whom would the Libyan prime minister erstwhile under the protection of Malta’s security service be offered? Would it be to his friends, to his enemies or should he be auctioned to the highest bidder?

The cynical answer would have to be “to those who are holding the abducted Martin Galea, friend or foe”.

You missed the bit about loose tongues. How secure is a security team led by or including someone who blabs in bed?

Claude, that’s callous.

I didn’t make that up. Unlike Muscat, I don’t talk out of the seat of my pants.

This is what Muscat said in parliament last night, in the same breath as saying we shouldn’t talk about the kidnapping.

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/41608/pm_gives_no_assurances_that_abducted_man_in_libya_is_alive#.U9O742IaySM

Addressing Parlaiment tonight, Muscat expressed his full confidence in the diplomatic and security services’ efforts to bring the man back to Malta, noting that a number of persons were flown to Libya IN SECRET to carry out the operation.

Muscat warned that publicising the case and making details on the case public could put the man’s life in danger. He said government was monitoring the situation closely but Galea’s whereabouts and his fate was yet unknown.

And who’s that they call China’s secret weapon in Africa?

Because the Maltese government likes to do things in Gulf State style. Part of the hospitality treatment for VIPs includes an ostentatious security detail.

There will be no secret rescue mission. That’s the stuff of movies, or the stuff of the handful of countries with the capability to carry off that sort of thing.

The first thing any government would do is to contact the kidnappers. So Malta is already woefully ill-equipped at Step One of any rescue attempt. There are over one thousand armed groups roaming about Libya. It’s chaos over there. It will be hard to even identify the group that kidnapped Martin Galea.

The second step is to wait for a ransom demand, or offer one, and then negotiate. There is no precedent for this sort of thing for the Maltese government. I’m quite sure it would turn into a Maltese farce, with the Xarabank crew prancing about in some telethon to collect funds for the ransom.

The Baxxterian method would be this: offer the Libyan Deputy Prime Minister, who is being protected by the Maltese government, in exchange for Martin Galea.