Rattlesnake Ridge      

 
      BFF

I am beginning to get a funny feeling about the leading figure of the Libyan opposition in Benghazi, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil. I am beginning to get that odd déjà vu (all over again) feeling; that I have seen this film, or just another version of it, before. Look at the picture: His hat is red not green, and his attire is more red and grey than green. Yet, I am getting this persistent feeling that this western border of the Middle East is looking so much like that other eastern border of the Middle East. The difference is that this one is Arab (and Amazigh) and has a lot of petroleum that the West needs. That other border, the one on the other side is mostly Pashtun, Hazara, Uzbek, etc, and instead of petroleum it has something else many in the West want: opium. Many in the West also apparently want this product as well, and as badly.

I can be wrong, I have my moments: this Libyan man looks older and somehow less manipulative than that other Pashtun guy with the green robe (the one I once imprudently called the grasshopper). Yet back in 2002 Mr. Karzai also looked benign and harmless and incorruptible. I hope my odd feelings are wrong, but i sure would like to know how many relatives does he have waiting in the wings to take advantage.

Cheers
mhg


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