Libya: Who is Khalida Haftar and why does he want to take Tripoli? | Archived Message Posted by Ken Waldron on April 6, 2019, 5:13 pm [url= Haftar's Background: The CIA’s Man in the Libyan Civil War From retirement in ‘rural Virginia’ to Libya’s top rebel commander July 30, 2014 Peter Dörrie Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s life has been a colorful one. It also raises questions about how deeply the U.S. intelligence community is involved in the Libyan civil war. Born around 1943, Haftar was a revolutionary twice in his life. In 1969 he was part of the military junta that deposed Libya’s King Idris and secured the ascent of Muammar Gaddafi. Under the eccentric dictator, Haftar rose to become chief of staff of the Libyan military and the commanding officer of Libya’s armed forces during the Chadian-Libyan conflict. That war didn’t end well for Libya. The U.S. and France backed Chad, helping the Central African country defeat Libyan forces. The Chadians captured Haftar, briefly holding him as a prisoner of war. Currently Haftar is one of the main spoilers in the Libyan transitional process. He has formed an alliance between separate armed groups from the country’s east and the Zintan Brigades, a western faction that controls the international airport in Tripoli. In May, his allies shut down the government in an apparent attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the transitional government. So-called Operation Dignity also saw Haftar’s forces attack Islamist militias in Benghazi, the birthplace of the revolution. Publicly, Haftar claims to fight against Islamist militias for a secular Libya, but his political ambitions are obvious. It’s especially telling that his moves against the fledgling government of Libya occurred just as the new regime was trying to enforce a law banning functionaries from the Gaddafi era from public office. Haftar would be subject to this law, as would be many leaders of the armed groups he is allied with. The fighting Haftar instigated meanwhile has spiraled out of control. Militias are battling for the international airport in Tripoli. An important fuel depot has caught fire after being hit by a rocket. Embassies in the city have evacuated. In Benghazi, Islamist and secular forces openly are fighting. Haftar largely is responsible. His ambitions already have inflicted great damage on the transitional process in Libya. What remains unclear is how close his connection remains to U.S. intelligence services. In interviews he says that he is in “indirect contact” with the U.S. government. But the world needs to know just how much influence the CIA still has over its alleged former employee, who lived for two decades on the outskirts of the American capital and still holds U.S. citizenship. https://warisboring.com/the-cia-s-man-in-the-libyan-civil-war/ Message Thread: Libya: Who is Khalida Haftar and why does he want to take Tripoli? | - Ken Waldron April 6, 2019, 5:13 pm Re: Libya: Who is Khalida Haftar and why does he want to take Tripoli? | - spike April 7, 2019, 8:20 am Don't get this - because Tripoli is not a government.. - David Macilwain April 7, 2019, 9:27 am Re: Don't get this - because Tripoli is not a government.. - spike April 7, 2019, 6:25 pm Trace the VIN numbers on the brand-new Toyotas? :-) .. - Shyaku April 8, 2019, 5:31 am MOA takre on this - Libya - From Ghaddafi To Hafter - MikeD April 7, 2019, 10:01 am ‘No military solution!’ US demands immediate halt to Haftar’s march - Tomski April 8, 2019, 9:44 am   Searching