Recently the European Union’s ambassador to the U.S. said Europe’s infatuation with the crisis in Libya was not about the oil. Lier!
Some European countries, like Austria, Ireland and Italy, get most of their oil from Libya. Oil companies from France, Italy and Spain are involved in oil field operations in Libya.
The flow of oil to Europe was greatly reduced thanks to the violence involving so called peaceful protesters in Libya. After all, why would Gaddafi destroy his main source of income?
Gaddafi has long suspected that the militant, yet somehow, peacefull protesters were supplied by Europe (that has been proven to be correct, Libyan rebels and arms dealers admitted to it). Feeling betrayed by Europe Gaddafi announced, on March 14, that he was making new oil deals with China, India and Russia (and possibly Germany). Notice that those are the countries that abstained from voting on UNSCR 1973.
Then, just three days later, on March 17, the UN passes UNSCR 1973. Wow, that was fast!
China and India have evacuated thousand of workers from Libya.
The Europeans have been losing out to the Chinese for several years now. In 2007 Libya hired Chinese companies to build an oil pipeline. In 2009 the Europeans scared off the Chinese from making a huge oil deal with Libya. Then in 2010 Libya announced a deal that would see 6 million barrels per month going to China. In February 2011, China began evacuating some 20,000-30,000 oil field workers after they were attacked by peaceful protesters! A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said that some Chinese companies “…had their local camp sites raided by gangsters….”
There is eveidence that many people in eastern Libya resented the Chinese oil workers, and actually viewed it as an invasion. Is it possible that European interests took advantage of the growing anti-asian sentiments?
It is clear by statements from Chinese oil workers that they were specifically targeted. “Chinese companies in Libya are in a state of emergency, our projects are being raided and communications are down.” -online posting
When you look at the who’s who of those involved in Libyan oil production, and who wants Libya’s oil, it starts to look like this is a battle between East and West; Europe vs China. Could this be the shot that starts World War 3?