A very senior diplomatic source told me yesterday that Berlusconi is frantic lest Gadaffi falls and the channels are revealed by which Berlusconi gets a cut on the huge amounts of Libyan oil and gas lifted to Italy. Just at the moment that would be too much even for Berlusconi to survive.
This morning I see the Italian foreign minister is warning 300.000 Libyan refugees will fly to Europe if Gadaffi falls – as though there will be none if he stays. I have checked with other diplomatic sources, and they confirm that Italy is using the refugee warning to argue that Europe should back Gadaffi, and not impose sanctions. That point is not coming over in the mainstream media.
This blog will be back up completely revamped next week. But I thought this snippet was important. If someone wants to repost it somewhere comments are possible…
hi!!!!
i've just finished to read your book – Murder in Samarkand and i just loved it!
It is sadly because it's true but it's good to know that there are people like you in the world.
Now, i've just discovered your blog and i'm loving it too.
The only problem is the english. I'm not so used with many of the words. I have to consult my dictionary all the time.
Congratulations!!!
i'm pretty sure there are versions of it in more than one language – though i forget what the other languages are (Spanish is one i'm pretty sure ) – Craig will likely tell you
thank you!!
Hi Craig – i saw a Libyan professor who lives and teaches in the US on Al Jazeera English tonight and he was saying Berlusconi's government sold Chinooks helicopters on to Gaddafi and that these have been used to transport entire brigades into combat in the current fighting. He also said that this was in breach of the sales agreements Italy's government has with the US
there's meant to be a video of one flying over Tripoli on the Al Jazeera blog link below (just below the entry for 2.08pm) – though frankly it's not very conclusive evidence – about all you see is some tree branches, the sky and a chinook plus a vague bit of the roof of a house – could be anywhere really. http://blogs.aljazeera.net/africa/2011/02/22/live…