Canadian military predicted Libya would descend into civil war if Gaddafi Overthrown

[KoKo]

(If anyone has information that the "Ottawa Citizen" is Canada's version of U.S. "National Enquirer" just "PM" me and I will delete the OP)

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Canadian military predicted Libya would descend into civil war if foreign countries helped overthrow Gaddafi

Postmedia News 03.01.2015

Canadian military intelligence officers predicted in 2011 that Libya could descend into a lengthy civil war if foreign countries provided assistance to rebels opposing the country’s dictator Muammar Gaddafi, according to documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen.

The warning, made just days before several countries, including Canada, began their March 2011 bombing campaign against Gaddafi’s regime, has unfolded as predicted.

Libya has descended into chaos as rival tribes and militias continue to battle each other for control of the country.

Last week, Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Dayri warned that warring factions were pushing his country into a full-scale civil war. Italy has also raised concerns that Islamic extremists who now occupy parts of the country pose a threat to the region and Europe.

The Canadian government and military played key roles in overthrowing Gaddafi and highlighted those efforts as a significant victory both for Libya and Canadians.

At the time, then-foreign affairs minister John Baird reinforced Canada’s support for the rebel groups fighting Gaddafi, pointing out they had a well-developed plan that would transform the country into a democracy. “The one thing we can say categorically is that they couldn’t be any worse than Col. Gaddafi,” said Mr. Baird.

But when Gaddafi was overthrown in the fall of 2011, the various rebel groups refused to surrender their weapons and instead began fighting each other.

The uprising against Gaddafi began in February 2011. But it was NATO warplanes that destroyed large parts of Libya’s military and are now credited with allowing rag-tag militias and assorted armed groups to eventually seize control of the country.

Various nations began the military intervention in Libya on March 19, 2011. Canadian CF-18 fighter jets started their bombing runs on March 23.

Just days before, however, Canadian intelligence specialists sent a briefing report shared with senior officers. “There is the increasing possibility that the situation in Libya will transform into a long-term tribal/civil war,” they wrote in their March 15, 2011 assessment. “This is particularly probable if opposition forces received military assistance for foreign militaries.”

CONTINUED AT:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/world/Canadian+military+predicted+Libya+would+descend+into+civil/10853269/story.html

[leveymg]

1. That outcome was foreseen in DC but Petraeus/Clinton

proceeded with Operation Zero Footprint, regardless, over the objections of some who warned that the flow of arms and Jihadist fighters from Eastern Libya to Syria would plunge the region into Sunni-Shi'ia war.