Thaw Out the Dough

The Obama administration’s decision to formally recognise the so-called Transitional National Council as Libya’s “legitimate governing authority” is an unlawful act of political banditry, further exposing the imperialist character of the US-NATO war against Libya.

Announced by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last Friday, it gives pseudo-legal cover for the US to steal billions in Libyan state assets and give them to the Benghazi-based TNC, which serves as NATO’s proxy land force in the war. TNC officials have previously obtained funding by touring the US, Europe and the Arab Gulf states. Washington can now offer $34 billion in Libyan funds frozen by Western banks.
~ from The US Recognises Libya’s Transitional National Council by Patrick O’Connor ~

When I first heard this news last week, I thought, "Huh?" Why are we granting formal recognition to an unelected body? Why the rush to do this now?

As is oh so typical, the chief reason is money. The Libyan rebels are running out of ammunition and many of their communities are running short on food, fuel and medicine. Since they don't have the funds themselves to purchase more of what they need AND we're holding a ton of the Libyan government's frozen money, this provides us with a clever way to kill two birds with one stone.

We will magnanimously transfer billions of dollars to the rebels, so the rebels can turn around to buy what they need from the US and other NATO allies. In other words, we're not unfreezing the funds for their benefit as much as for corporate benefit. Corporate America has been salivating over this money and now, thanks to their buddy Obama, they get to put their grimy hands all over it.

Such humanitarians we are!