A Heritage of Guns and Oil; Libya becomes the new Iraq

Some familiar names from twilight world of the British mercenary are coming to light in Libya , even as Qaddafi’s regime is finally vanquished. According to Karl Stagno-Navarra [Malta Today, THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 29, 2011 ] , Heritage Oil run by veteran mercenary Tony Buckingham, are in Libya. As well as oil, Heritage are a “security business”. Mika Minio-Paluello writing on the excellent blog PLATFORM , shows Heritage’s Libyan excursion as part of a wider Global strategy. Minio-Paluello says Heritage pulled off hydro-carbon deals in Central Africa which “transferred billions of dollars of state revenue to private companies”. Heritage specialise in hydro-carbon exploitation in high risk scenarios, and aim for a high rate of return.
While Heritage has always played down Mr. Buckingham’s past in the security industry, according to Minio-Paluello they are offering to guard Libyan oil installations, trading directly on their military expertise. According Reuters Agency journalists Frage & Hoskins , the man fronting up their Libyan operation is an ex-SAS man Major General John Holmes, a director of Titon International,and a former director of another “security company” Erinys . Buckingham has also been linked to Simon Mann, until recently incarcerated in Equatorial Guinea for his part in the infamous, and shambolic “Wonga Coup”. Mann much to the delight of the media and no doubt the chagrin of his former comrades, loves the spotlight; playing British Army Officers in drama documentaries and giving interviews from prison. Holmes would also know Mann from their mutual service in the SAS. There has been much speculation regarding the relationship between company set up by Mann called Logo, and group of companies called Hansard connected to Heritage .
The new Libyan government seems to be resisting Heritage’s charm offensive, which according to Malta Today includes mealy-mouthed declarations about non-involvement with the Qaddafi regime. While it is prudent to suspend judgement on the integrity of the revolution as a whole, the NTC leadership popular or self-appointed, will find themselves put under enormous pressure by big business and their political proxies in London, Paris and Washington. They need to look at Iraq, where the US and their cronies promoted divide and rule policies, allowing private corporations to hover up the assets, and replace the local services, including the provision of so-called security, with their own.
As Obama announces the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq. Commentators note the security companies will stay behind. Historically one of the major players has been Erinys, who have had up to 15,000 employees in Iraq . While the company has strong links with South Africa, its core directors are ex-SAS, with Heritage’s man in Benghazi Major-General Holmes on the board until 2008. Holmes is quoted as saying in a speech to Sandhurst alumni, in tone befitting Lawrence of Arabia, “that to lead the local tribesmen successfully it was important to have integrity, understand and respect the culture, share dangers and use a ‘carrot and stick’ approach, often by the judicious use of money..” .
Insh’allah the “tribesmen” on the NTC will have sufficient patriotism to tell Major General Holmes were to put his “Wonga”. If they have any doubts about this course of action, let them ponder the tragic story of post-Saddam Iraq. Pratap Chatterjee spells out the attitude of the security companies to the locals, drawing on information from Wikileaks. The social and economic ruin of the Middle East’s leading society, will only be echoed in Africa if the military gentlemen from Mayfair get their way.