Tobruk government sabotaging UN peace process

Libyan prime minister (Tobruk) Abdullah al-Thinni with John Kerry

Op-Ed: The Prime Minister of the internationally-recognized Tobruk government, Abdullah al-Thinni, is busy lobbying 32 ambassadors not to choose any Islamists not elected to the House of Representatives (HoR), the Tobruk government, to serve in any unity government.

He asks that the international community  "pursue the language of neutrality" and not interfere in the politics of other countries. Of course this all assumes that there is no question about the government of Libya, being the Tobruk government, while the whole peace and dialogue process results from the fact that there are two rival government with an Islamist leaning government based in Tripoli that controls much of western Libya.

What al-Thinni means by being neutral is supporting the position of the Tobruk government on issues, whereas "being neutral" should mean not taking either side in the ongoing conflict.

Al-Thinni said he hoped that the ambassadors would support legitimacy meaning the elected Tobruk government. Al Thinni does not mention that the Libyan Supreme Court back in November ruled that the June elections last year were unconstitutional and that the House of Representatives should be dissolved. He said that Libya Dawn cannot rule "in any way". Given that they are the military force keeping the Tripoli government in power no political solution will be possible without them participating in the formation of a unity government.

Al Thinni spoke openly about not just defeating terrorism but armed groups that rose up against the state. This is risible. Khalifa Haftar, who Al-Thinni appointed commander of his armed forces, rose up against the state in February of 2014 and declared the government dissolved. Later in May he started a campaign Operation Dignity by attacking two Islamist bases in Benghazi. Then he had allies burn down the parliament buildings.

Operation Dignity meant to purify Libya of Islamism is continuing. Al Thinni was then prime minister and called Haftar's moves illegal and noted that there was already a warrant out for his arrest for attempting a coup. Now this same Al-Thinni is prime minister of the Tobruk government. He now calls those supporting the alternative government terrorists, as does Haftar, who rejects the dialogue as talking with terrorists. Al Thinni wants the UN to drop the arms embargo against Libya so that the Tobruk government can fight terrorism within its borders.

Fighting terrorism within its borders has so far meant bombing the Tripoli airport just before recent peace talks began and then bombing it again just before they resumed causing Tripoli representatives to be late for the resumed talks. During the talks, Haftar announced an offensive to retake Tripoli with the blessing of Al-Thinni, this happening during the peace talks. Meanwhile Tripoli forces were tied up fighting the Islamic State in the city of Sirte. If the Tobruk government receives more arms they will use them not just against the Islamic State but against the forces of the rival government. 

So far most western countries, including the US and UK, support a weapons ban on arms shipments to Libya until there is a unity government agreed upon. However, it is not clear that a unity government can ever be agreed upon as long as Haftar commands the Tobruk government military.

---

Obama has just announced that he will provide Egypt with the $1.3 billion in military aid that had been suspended. He is providing it to Egypt so that it can fight against terrorism. Egyptian president el-Sisi is a great supporter of Haftar. One can expect that US arms from Egypt will be used not only to fight the Islamic State in Libya but also help Haftar in the fight against Libya Dawn and the Tripoli government. No word the last few days about any further progress in the peace talks. Libya Dawn has agreed to withdraw from positions it used to attack the eastern oil ports and the Tripoli government has sacked their prime minister partly because he was allegedly blocking the peace process.

However, al-Thinni can publicly support military action against Tripoli while the peace talks are going on and Haftar can snub his nose at the UN, but the international community which supposedly supports the dialogue and a unity government is hardly critical at all.

Sources;
http://kenthink7.blogspot.ca/2015/03/bombing-of-tripoli-airport-by-haftar.html
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/03/31/obama-lifts-freeze-weapons-transfer-egyptian-dictator/
http://kenthink7.blogspot.ca/2015/03/general-haftar-rises-from-failed-coup.html
http://en.starafrica.com/news/libya-un-mission-welcomes-ceasefire-withdrawal-of-forces-in-sidra-oil-crescent-region.html
http://www.libyaherald.com/2015/04/01/libya-crises-is-a-security-and-legitimacy-crises-not-a-political-crises-https://www.libyaherald.com/2015/04/01/thinni-meets-with-32-ambassadors-to-libya-in-tunisia/