The United States fought off a European attack in Libya

The offensive of the Libyan National Army on the troops of the Government of the National Accord (PNS) choked. Another attempt to establish autocracy in Libya failed. But this is also a positive episode for the United States in the American-European war ...

The fact that the offensive of the Libyan National Army (LNA) under the command of Marshal Khalifa Haftar on Tripoli, where the government recognized by the UN, led by Faiz Saraj, began to slip, became clear a few days ago. Actively begun, it began to slip, never reaching the second ring road on the outskirts of the actual capital. Now, however, reports began to be received that the forces loyal to the government had launched a counteroffensive in seven directions and forced Field Marshal Haftar’s troops to retreat.

Thus, the central districts of Tripoli, where the government buildings and the Central Bank, to which the LNA was so eager, are located, once again feel safe. The faded was the Government of national consent, called the counterattack codename "Burkan al-Gadab" ("Vulkan rage") and issued a warrant for the arrest of Haftar through the military prosecutor's office.

The accusation is natural — treason — although, as everyone knows, there is no longer any state in Libya. And there is only a set of tribal territories, ghostly controlled by those political persons and forces with which the tribes appear at the moment in the union. Too ghostly enough and almost always temporary.

For their part, for the troops of Marshal Haftar nothing is lost at all. On the contrary, the LNA promised to open another “front” against the government. However, according to the configuration of the forces of the parties, it will be aimed, rather, not against the government, but against the city of Misrata. This is one of the most important and economically, perhaps the most powerful of the Libyan centers, supported by the government, sending its own troops to help it. And it is precisely the Misratsk divisions that are today the "spear point" of the government forces that regularly bleed the field marshal's troops.

True, you should know the price of this blood: in two weeks of fighting, the loss of all parties - in extremely "fierce" battles - did not exceed 170 people killed. The fights look more like dashing raids on modern carriages: a few jeeps with machine guns, they poured fire on the enemy’s supposed location, and bounced back. Then they returned, advanced further and declared the territory conquered.

Or even simpler: they talked to the tribe sheikhs, showed their carriages, convinced them of the usefulness of cooperation - and yes, “they occupied another city”.

But now the troops of Khaftar rested in the territory, where it is not yet possible to convince the sheikhs to abandon the government. And then there's Misrata, with whom the dialogue does not even begin at all ...

Thus, the logic of opening the eighth front, which would have the task to cut the road from Misrata to Tripoli, suggests itself. It is another matter how much success or failure will be expected by this operation ...

The problem is that Misrata is an independent player in the Libyan scenario. But! At the same time, the fact is curious that even in March, in the Malta area, two American ships with military cargo were noticed, which suspiciously changed courses and hid their names and final points of the route. And three days after the release of the ships from Malta, data began to appear, as if it was in Misrata that the US military equipment suddenly showed up.

In a suspicious manner, this coincided with the announcement by the US ambassador to Tripoli, Peter Bodd, and the commander-in-chief of US forces in Africa, General Thomas Voldhauser. Of course, strictly within the framework of the protocol: according to the official report of the US Embassy, ​​they met with the head of the legitimate Libyan government, Faiz Saraj, and discussed his support for security.

In other words - support in resisting the attack of Haftar. But why? After all, Khalifa Haftar himself was once bought by the CIA from a Chadian prison, and Americans tend to return money. Let even the services. Did the USA go against its own agent?

Hoftar in the game

Meanwhile, the following movements of field marshal or his emissaries are noted in recent days. Cairo, where Haftar met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Nothing is said about the details of the meeting, but it has already been fully proved that Egypt is the main ally of Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The sponsor, supplier of weapons and, according to experts, are military specialists. In particular, the pilots.

Egypt acts in this role not alone, but in the company. In a very interesting company: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, it was Haftar who visited Saudi Arabia exactly on the eve of the start of the Tripoli offensive. Today, a number of attentive observers state the presence of a whole wave of the most active stuffing and social media appearances in support of the marshal, which comes precisely from Saudi Arabia. Those who know even a little about the state of freedom of opinion and information in this country do not need to talk about anything else ...

By the way, and on the other side of the hybrid front of the network wave are “bloggers” from Qatar.

Is this the point?

Qatar is a “gas” monarchy. Saudis and the UAE - "oil". Both those and others rush to the markets of Europe. So much so that it was Qatar that once became one of the initiators of the overthrow of the Syrian leader Bashar Assad - Qatar really wanted to establish a direct gas pipeline to Europe through Syria.

The same interest - only oil - has Riyadh.

At the same time, the States have their own interest. They rushed to mine shale oil. And they want to deliver it to Europe! Moreover, many analysts have a suspicion that it was the United States that initiated the entire crisis situation in Libya. With a simple and everyday goal: to plant Europe on the shortage of Libyan oil.

And Europe has an old oil dependence on Libya. More from the colonial times. And the structure of oil supply and refining for the Libyan oil in many places sharpened. In Italy - almost totally ...

By the way, it is curious that in early April, a delegation from Khalifa Haftar, as reported by EADaily, visited Rome, where it held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. And according to the Repubblica newspaper, the delegation was at the level of the son of field marshal and his chief adviser. There is no need to be a genius to guess that the conversation between Haftar and Italy, officially supporting the PNS of Libya, concerned guarantees for the oil business of the Italian company ENI ...

And the whole picture is marvelous. Haftar, who in fact controls the main oil fields in Libya, wants to expel the official government, wishing to uninterruptedly supply its oil to Europe, to which supplies it gives all possible guarantees. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates support Haftar, justifiably hoping to throw the coveted oil supply chain - with oil of the same brand - to Europe through Egypt and Libya. Egypt, which has little oil, but which in the military sense is perhaps the strongest player in the Middle East, is also not averse to participating in such a promising project. They need to remove the government in Tripoli.

And here the USA spoils the game for all of them. Haftar was pulled down. He may be able to resist. And maybe not. But just in case, the United States loudly announces support for the “internationally recognized” government and, through Misrata, is giving it weapons and equipment. And since the messages also referred to “assistance in training troops”, then there is no doubt that there are already American special forces there.