|
Archived Articles
Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
|
 |
Libya: The Mystery of One RevelationAs every authoritarian state with established cult of personality, Libya represents an interest for foreigners mainly as a reflection of this personality. These days we have additional reasons to look at this country because the ruling personality, namely Col. Muammar al-Qadhafi has decided surprisingly to warm up his relations with the United States. A month after unexpected decision of Tripoli to freeze its military nuclear and other WMD programs the experts still argue on the real motives of Col. Qadhafi. Most of the presumed reasons are pure fantasies, which make the Libyan policy even more mysterious. Some say that Qadhafi wanted to warm up his relations with the US after the Gulf War II began in March 2003. He didn't want his WMD to be used as excuse for American invasion against his country. This seems plausible, but Libya till recently wasn't on the top in the Washington's list of WMD threats. CIA reportedly didn't even know that Tripoli tried to develop nuclear weapons. Therefore any invasion wasn't around the corner. In this case perhaps, others argue, Qadhafi wanted to improve relations with Washington in order to bring up the living standard in Libya, shaken by the US economic embargo. The tale about the benevolent tyrant doing everything for the good of his people is really amazing. But even if this was the case, Qadhafi can use in this goal the country's substantial oil reserves. Or perhaps, some argue, he is trying to get US approval in order to force his neighbors to make some territorial concessions? No way, because most of the Libya's neighbors have special relations with Washington or other western capitals. The assumption that Qadhafi wants American support in a power struggle within the country also is far from the reality. Right now the Libyan leader has tight control over the population. So what Qadhafi wants from America? Nothing, he just wants to get rid of his WMD, to help the United States to convince other countries in the Middle East (Iran, Syria) to renounce their WMD, in one word, he wants to be Mr. Nice Guy. Perhaps he's stupider than most experts have thought in the past? Nobody gives up his nuclear weapons just like that. I'll present a hypothesis that accepts the facts as they are presented in the world media and will try to give an answer without falling into childish naiveté. My hypothesis is based on the assumption that Col. Qadhafi indeed wants something and this something can't be obtained without improving the relations with the United States as the only remaining world hegemonic power. If the power is the only real thing that interests the Libyan leader, then preservation of this power remains axiomatic in explaining his decisions. The only alternative political force that can threaten his power comes from Islamic circles. This is the case in each and every neighboring Muslim country. Right now Qadhafi has strict control over power resources but can he be sure that this situation will continue indefinitely? He's becoming older and older and 10 years from now his positions will be weakened. But does Qadhafi care about the future of his country after his death? We may try to find out a solution if we assume that he's trying to establish a dynasty following the good examples of such Muslim republics as Syria and Azerbaijan. The gradual political promotion of his son Saiful Islam Qadhafi shows who is expected to take the power. It's for his power that Qadhafi-father already takes precautionary measures. It's for his successful succession to the thrown that the present dictator is warming up the relations with the West. Why? Forecasting inevitable power vacuum after his death, he wants to have a strong foreign support for his son. His calculations are that Washington won't allow power struggle and radical changes in a country that may again produce WMD. Supporting Qadhafi-son will be an insurance policy for the West that Islamic radicals will be held far from power. If this hypothesis holds true, then the unilateral WMD disarmament won't be accompanied by any Libyan political or economic condition. Qadhafi-father expects that the West will turn Libya into one of his protected Middle East dynasties. In the future republican kingdom of Libya nobody will care about such things as human rights. The only thing that will interest the West will be the oil. The political system will be conserved till the full exhaustion of all oil resources with other Qadhafis on the top. In the name of such glorious prospective it's worth giving up some non-accomplished WMD programs.
Libya profile: --------------------
See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Libya.
|
See also:
