Tag: North Korea

Libya Receives US Seal Help To Recover Tanker

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/17/us-usa-libya-tanker-idUSBREA2G0AU20140317

Reports today from the Mediterranean coast off of Libya and Cyprus say US Seals successfully recaptured a commercial Libyan oil tanker “Morning Glory” pirated by 3 Libyans late Sunday. No shots, no casualties, and many praises from the Libyan government characterize the successful operation. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/17/world/africa/navy-seals-tanker/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Last week the Libyan parliament voted for dismissal of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan with a no-confidence vote following immediately upon first reports of the tanker capture from an eastern port controlled by the Libyan political faction that led the vote against the PM. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/11/world/africa/libya-pm/index.html That pirated tanker sailed successfully last week from its Libyan port to Sidra, where it received a load of oil sought by a faction in Libya to fund its resistance in a military struggle for Libyan control. On a return course to Libya, it was peacefully boarded by the US commandos. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/18/world/middleeast/libya-oil-tanker.html?_r=0

HFS analysts have observed that reports from various world sources offer markedly different accounts of US involvement in the operation. The Roosevelt, a US aircraft carrier located in the region of the operation appears to have been the command and control center for the US forces. At the same time, ten days ago, the Libyan government threatened to bomb a North Korean tanker planning to supply oil to a Libyan rebel faction. http://article.wn.com/view/2014/03/08/Libya_threatens_to_bomb_North_Korean_tanker_if_it_ships_oil_/

Were the US forces merely observing, when the Libyan government happened to request help to recover the tanker? More cynical analysts might suspect the US of cherry picking which political faction to support by recovering a tanker full of valuable oil to hand over, as a means of securing a geopolitical foothold while Libya verges on civil war. The HFS analysts don’t go that far, not yet, but they’re watching with interest to see what US interests in the region might be developed.

What do you think?

China Draws Red Line For North Korea

Today Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, observing aloud that North Korea sits on China’s doorstep, said: “We have a red line, that is, we will not allow war or instability on the Korean peninsula.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/08/us-korea-north-china-idUSBREA2703Q20140308

The Foreign Minister’s comments arose on location during a break in the annual Chinese parliamentary meeting that approves all new laws for the coming year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_the_Republic_of_China

Analysts at http://HamiltonFinanceServices.com (HFS) note that US Secretary of State John Kerry recently left Beijing after urging China to take more responsibility for regional affairs, especially North Korea. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/14/john-kerry-china-visit-north-korea-nuclear-talks

These HFS analysts observe that the US seems to have less confidence in the regional peace keeping role of Russia in Ukrainian affairs than it has for China in North Korean affairs. This comparison raises the fundamental question: Why does the US actively resist Russian peacekeeping while at the same time supporting Chinese peacekeeping?

HFS thoughts: Maybe Chinese peacekeeping supports the US ally, South Korea, but the US has no real allies in the Ukraine region, so to build an alliance, the US opposes Russia as a strategic initiative to develop a new regional foothold with Ukraine. HFS analysts consider this US strategy too risky and unlikely to succeed.

What do you think?

US Seals Take Libyan Tanker From Pirates

China Red Line Says: N. Korea, Back Off