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US and allies eye post-Gadhafi Libya
ABU DHABI (AP) — People close to Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy have been discussing “the potential for a transition,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.
“There have been numerous and continuing discussions by people close to Khadafy, and we are aware that those discussions include, among other matters, the potential for a transition,” Clinton told a news conference in the United Arab Emirates capital following a meeting of the International Contact Group on Libya.
“There is not a clear way forward yet,” she added.
Backing up her words in Washington, US Defense Secretary nominee Leon Panetta told the Senate Armed Services Committee, he saw “signs” that sustained economic, diplomatic and military pressure would lead Khadafy to step down.
If she had information that was true she wouldn’t be talking about it. If only to protect the ones who are discussing “transition”. Still I imagine it unnerves Gadhafi. He has to be beyond paranoid a this point.
I suspect that she does have information (and I wonder exactly what role Russia is playing in these negotiations), that it is true, and that it is intended by its public release to precisely unnerve the Gaddafi family (and not just Muammar, who indeed seems over the edge).
But it also comes exactly after the UAE has recognized the Transitional National Council of Libya (the rebels) as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.
I also suspect that the Gaddafi family is too busy right now to be monitoring the inner circle’s cell phone calls. So the pressure increases.