Was Nicolas Sarkozy’s Role in Taking Out Gaddafi More Personal than Geopolitical?
By Whitney
Webb, Mint Press News, March 22nd, 2018
Webb, Mint Press News, March 22nd, 2018
While the
other nations were primarily involved in Libya’s destruction for geopolitical
and economic reasons, Sarkozy may have been chiefly interested in saving his
own skin – an effort that may have been all for naught, depending on how the
French investigation proceeds.
other nations were primarily involved in Libya’s destruction for geopolitical
and economic reasons, Sarkozy may have been chiefly interested in saving his
own skin – an effort that may have been all for naught, depending on how the
French investigation proceeds.
 |
|
Former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, left, and French President Nicolas
Sarkozy, pose during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris in December, 2007.
(Patrick Hertzog/AP)
|
PARIS – Former
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was arrested
Tuesday and indicted
last night on charges related to the illegal funding of his successful 2007
campaign for president. The investigation, which began nearly five years ago,
has focused on illegal campaign contributions Sarkozy’s campaign received from
Muammar Gaddafi, the former leader of Libya, who was brutally murdered
following the UN-backed destruction
of his government and country.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was arrested
Tuesday and indicted
last night on charges related to the illegal funding of his successful 2007
campaign for president. The investigation, which began nearly five years ago,
has focused on illegal campaign contributions Sarkozy’s campaign received from
Muammar Gaddafi, the former leader of Libya, who was brutally murdered
following the UN-backed destruction
of his government and country.
The
investigation into Sarkozy’s shady connections to Gaddafi has gained steam
since late 2016, when French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine claimed
that he had personally delivered suitcases containing €5 million ($6.2 million)
in cash to Sarkozy on Gaddafi’s behalf. More recently, several former senior
figures in Gaddafi’s government provided new
evidence to French investigators confirming the illicit campaign
contributions. Overall, Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign is believed
to have received
€50 million ($62 million) in funding from Gaddafi. This not only exceeded the
legal limit for funding for the entire campaign by €21 million but also
violated French laws regarding foreign donations to politicians.
investigation into Sarkozy’s shady connections to Gaddafi has gained steam
since late 2016, when French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine claimed
that he had personally delivered suitcases containing €5 million ($6.2 million)
in cash to Sarkozy on Gaddafi’s behalf. More recently, several former senior
figures in Gaddafi’s government provided new
evidence to French investigators confirming the illicit campaign
contributions. Overall, Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign is believed
to have received
€50 million ($62 million) in funding from Gaddafi. This not only exceeded the
legal limit for funding for the entire campaign by €21 million but also
violated French laws regarding foreign donations to politicians.
Sarkozy
and the manager of his 2007 campaign have denied accepting money from Libya.
Sarkozy has also denied accepting illegal funds for his unsuccessful campaign
for re-election in 2012, which has also been the subject
of scrutiny.
and the manager of his 2007 campaign have denied accepting money from Libya.
Sarkozy has also denied accepting illegal funds for his unsuccessful campaign
for re-election in 2012, which has also been the subject
of scrutiny.
While
Sarkozy has long denied these allegations, his arrest over how his past
campaign was financed and his relationship with Gaddafi has renewed interest in
Sarkozy’s role in the 2011 destruction of the Libyan state as well as fresh
speculation regarding Sarkozy’s motives.
Sarkozy has long denied these allegations, his arrest over how his past
campaign was financed and his relationship with Gaddafi has renewed interest in
Sarkozy’s role in the 2011 destruction of the Libyan state as well as fresh
speculation regarding Sarkozy’s motives.
Moral
high ground or old Mafia trick?
high ground or old Mafia trick?
 |
| In a major endorsement for Libya’s post-regime change rulers, French President Nicholas Sarkozy shakes hands with patient at the Tripoli Medical Center in Libya Thursday Sept. 15, 2011. (AP/Stefan Rousseau) |
In 2011 —
while the U.S., U.K. and France were leading the charge against Gaddafi —
Sarkozy was widely
praised in the Western press for “choosing the right course” and
“taking a high but legitimate risk that he can retake the moral (and political)
high ground” by violently forcing Gaddafi out of power.
while the U.S., U.K. and France were leading the charge against Gaddafi —
Sarkozy was widely
praised in the Western press for “choosing the right course” and
“taking a high but legitimate risk that he can retake the moral (and political)
high ground” by violently forcing Gaddafi out of power.
However,
Gaddafi’s alleged contributions to his 2007 campaign suggest that Sarkozy’s
reasons for becoming involved had little to do with a humanitarian desire to
“protect” the Libyan people – as Sarkozy had claimed
at the time — and more to do with silencing a key witness to his illegal
behavior, Gaddafi himself.
Gaddafi’s alleged contributions to his 2007 campaign suggest that Sarkozy’s
reasons for becoming involved had little to do with a humanitarian desire to
“protect” the Libyan people – as Sarkozy had claimed
at the time — and more to do with silencing a key witness to his illegal
behavior, Gaddafi himself.
In 2012,
reports surfaced — based on comments
made by Mahmoud Jibril, former interim Prime Minister of Libya following
Gaddafi’s overthrow, on Egyptian TV — that Gaddafi’s gruesome death, which was
captured on video, had been carried out by the French secret service. Jibril
had stated that “it was a foreign agent who mixed with the revolutionary
brigades to kill Gaddafi.”
reports surfaced — based on comments
made by Mahmoud Jibril, former interim Prime Minister of Libya following
Gaddafi’s overthrow, on Egyptian TV — that Gaddafi’s gruesome death, which was
captured on video, had been carried out by the French secret service. Jibril
had stated that “it was a foreign agent who mixed with the revolutionary
brigades to kill Gaddafi.”
Reports
from the Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra later asserted that the foreign
agent had been French, citing diplomatic sources in the Libyan capital of
Tripoli. Those same diplomatic sources had further stated that Gaddafi had
openly threatened to reveal the full details of his ties to Sarkozy, including
his financing of Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign, once NATO first voiced support for
the 2011 uprising.
from the Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra later asserted that the foreign
agent had been French, citing diplomatic sources in the Libyan capital of
Tripoli. Those same diplomatic sources had further stated that Gaddafi had
openly threatened to reveal the full details of his ties to Sarkozy, including
his financing of Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign, once NATO first voiced support for
the 2011 uprising.
Sarkozy,
however, was interested in more than keeping his shady dealings with Gaddafi
from public scrutiny. Leaked emails from former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton showed that Sarkozy – like other countries backing Western intervention
in Libya – had several goals in deposing Gaddafi. As the Foreign Policy
Journal reported
in 2016, these included increasing French influence in North Africa, obtaining
Libyan oil, increasing Sarkozy’s popularity domestically, and demonstrating
French military power.
however, was interested in more than keeping his shady dealings with Gaddafi
from public scrutiny. Leaked emails from former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton showed that Sarkozy – like other countries backing Western intervention
in Libya – had several goals in deposing Gaddafi. As the Foreign Policy
Journal reported
in 2016, these included increasing French influence in North Africa, obtaining
Libyan oil, increasing Sarkozy’s popularity domestically, and demonstrating
French military power.
In
addition, Gaddafi’s large gold and silver reserves were seen as a threat to the
French franc and its circulation in North Africa. Gaddafi’s plan to
establish a gold-backed
currency, to use to sell Libya’s oil, strengthened this economic
threat to France as well as to the hegemony of the American petrodollar.
addition, Gaddafi’s large gold and silver reserves were seen as a threat to the
French franc and its circulation in North Africa. Gaddafi’s plan to
establish a gold-backed
currency, to use to sell Libya’s oil, strengthened this economic
threat to France as well as to the hegemony of the American petrodollar.
Yet,
while the other nations were primarily involved in Libya’s destruction to
prevent the dinar’s creation and to gain access to Libya’s oil, Sarkozy may
have been chiefly interested in saving his own skin – an effort that may have
been all for naught given his recent arrest.
while the other nations were primarily involved in Libya’s destruction to
prevent the dinar’s creation and to gain access to Libya’s oil, Sarkozy may
have been chiefly interested in saving his own skin – an effort that may have
been all for naught given his recent arrest.
