CL Redux

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03/25/2950845/obama-to-offer-explanation-of.html


Qatar became the first Arab nation to join the effort, flying F-16s in support of the no-fly zone.

But the Pentagon was considering adding side-firing AC-130 gunships, helicopters and armed drone aircraft that could challenge Libyan ground forces that threaten civilians in cities like Misrata. The U.S. has avoided attacking in cities out of fear that civilians could be killed or injured. AC-130 gunships, which operate at night at low altitude, can attack with unusual precision.
 
In interviews, many people in Tripoli, including those supporting Colonel Qaddafi and those opposing him, said they were focused closely on the battle for Surt.

If Surt falls, “it is game over,” one man said, insisting that the atmosphere in the capital was already slipping. “The government is losing control,” he said. “You can’t touch it but you can feel it.”
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Rebels push towards Gaddafi stronghold
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/201132681812362552.html

Opposition forces backed by coalition air strikes have already seized control of the key towns of Bin Jawad, Ras Lanuf, Uqayla, Brega and Ajdabiya in a rapid advance along the coastline.

Meanwhile the next town in the rebels' path, Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, was reported to be under attack by coalition warplanes for the first time late on Sunday, according to Libyan state television.

Coalition air strikes against targets in Tripoli also resumed on Sunday night with explosions heard in the Libyan capital.

Al Jazeera's James Bays has been following the rebel offensive which has seen them claim a string of towns and key oil facilities since Friday.

Our correspondent said Gaddafi's forces appeared to be withdrawing eastwards. Those still in Bin Jawad, the latest town to fall to rebels, surrendered without a fight, Bays said.

"It seems there has a been withdrawal and a surrender of Gaddafi forces, not a battle," Bays said. "They removed some of their vehicles that were not bombed further up the road but they removed these vehicles in haste."

Rebels were intent on pressing onwards in the direction of Tripoli, Bays said, but Sirte presents a major obstacle.

"There is only one plan. That is to head on, head west up this road," our correspondent said. "There really is only one coastal road and that is the road to Tripoli. The problem they are going to face is the huge roadblock ahead of us and that's Sirte, a Gaddafi stronghold where many of his troops are based."


Quote from Picaso:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/world/africa/28libya.html?hp
More...
 
Oil Trades Below $106 as Europe Debt Concerns Outweigh Middle East Unrest
By Ann Koh - Mar 27, 2011 10:03 PM PT
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-...ebt-concerns-outweigh-middle-east-unrest.html

Oil fell for a third day in New York as concern that Japan’s ongoing nuclear crisis is delaying rebuilding efforts and European nations’ debt may cut demand, overshadowed turmoil in Libya and the Middle East.

Futures slipped as much as 0.4 percent in the longest declining streak in two weeks
- as the European Union reduced the amount committed to an emergency support system for the euro region.
- Japanese equities fell after radiation hampered efforts to cool the stricken reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant and earthquake damage slowed the supply of materials to manufacturers.
- Libyan rebels recaptured the oil port of Ras Lanuf yesterday, while 12 people died in clashes in Syria.

“Investors will be pausing for any prospects of delays in the Japanese recovery effort following this nuclear issue or radiation,” said Serene Lim, an energy and commodity strategist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. in Singapore. “The news in the eurozone has been overshadowing other news like Libya. The situation in Libya doesn’t seem to improve or worsen.”
 
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxel/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1780968/Business/Oil.slides.below.$115.as.Libyan.rebels.make.gains

1/ A Libyan rebel official said on Sunday Gulf oil producer Qatar had agreed to market crude oil produced from east Libyan fields no longer in Muammar Gaddafi's control.

"These are positive developments which are negative for oil prices potentially as they have taken back some of the main oil export towns," said Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix.

But some analysts are skeptical about how quickly things will return to normal.

"Maybe there's some hope that with rebels regaining control of most of the Eastern part of Libya and the lion's share of Libyan production, normality may resume soon but I think it is still too early," said Carsten Fritsch, an analyst at Commerzbank. "Damage to oil facilities will prevent a sudden return to normal production levels."

2/ EUROZONE DEBT
European leaders agreed a new package of anti-crisis measures at a two-day summit, but were forced to delay increasing their rescue fund and acknowledged they faced new threats from a government collapse in Portugal.

"The unrest in the Middle East is providing support, but the Portugal crisis is capping gains," said Natalie Robertson, a commodities analyst at ANZ.

"Investors will hold onto their long position until something of significance occurs in the market. If they have fully priced in the unrest, the market is susceptible to drops due to profit taking."

3/
Syria deployed the army to the country's main port over the weekend in an attempt to rein in spreading protests across the country, while in Yemen talks stalled between the government and opposition.

Bahrain's foreign minister said it was "completely untrue" that Kuwait would mediate to resolve Bahrain's political crisis. The Gulf Cooperation Council -- a regional political and economic bloc made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- had welcomed the mediation move on Sunday.

Saudi Arabian King Abdullah earlier this month announced $93 billion in social handouts, the second benefits package to be unveiled within a month as the kingdom attempts to contain discontent, especially from Shi'ites in the east of the country, where the world's biggest oil reserves are located.

"That's a reason oil is trending higher -- simply OPEC is demanding a higher price for its oil, and the developments in the Middle East are exacerbating that trend by pushing some producers like Saudi Arabia to expand their expenditures at rapid rates," Francisco Blanch, Bank of America Merrill Lynch's global head of commodity research, told Reuters in Calgary.

"The economy is squarely reliant on oil and becoming a lot more reliant because the unrest is forcing politicians in Saudi to start throwing money at the problem."
 
Comments
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- If this oil shipments works out, that will turn the tide in favor of rebels in a big way , as they gain finical muscle in a big way and money to buy big weapons
- gaddafi forces may not able to stop this as they can not fly and his ground forces are hard to reach to stop this as these ports are close to bangazi
>>
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE72Q0DE20110327?sp=true
UPDATE 2-Rebels say Qatar ready to market east Libyan oil
Sun Mar 27, 2011 4:14pm GMT_

* Rebel official sees oil shipments within a week
* Says rebel-held eastern Libya has no money problems
* Sees Brega terminal operating again for domestic supply

1/ "We contacted the oil company of Qatar and thankfully they agreed to take all the oil that we wish to export and market this oil for us," said Ali Tarhouni, a rebel official in charge of economic, financial and oil matters.

"Our next shipment will be in less than a week," Tarhouni told reporters in the rebel-held eastern city of Benghazi.

State-owned Qatar Petroleum said it had no comment.

Small, energy-rich Qatar became the first Arab nation to begin patrolling a U.N. backed no-fly zone on Friday and has urged Gaddafi to quit to avoid more bloodshed.

2/ Tarhouni, a U.S. based academic and exile opposition figure, was designated last week by the Benghazi-based national council to steer its financial and oil policy.

He said the rebel leadership had set up an escrow account monitored by auditors that would be used to receive revenues from oil sales.

The rebels also plan to take out loans backed by Libya's sovereign wealth fund, he said.

"We would keep the fund frozen until the entire country is liberated," said Tarhouni. "Instead, what we will do is take loans backed by the sovereign fund."

He said he saw no serious liquidity problems for the rebels, who were well placed in terms of foreign currency reserves.
 
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