Libya rebels tied to al Qaeda

I said a few days ago that before we wound up in bed with the Libyan rebels, it might have been a good idea to see just who they were.

Qaddafi sent a letter to President Obama late last week claiming that he was fighting al Qaeda in putting down the rebellion. Of course, this is typical Qaddafi bluster, but it is still true that eastern Libya, the heart of the rebellion, has been heavily Islamist for years. No Arab country sent more fighters per capita to Iraq to fight the US than Libya, and almost all of them came from eastern Libya.

Now, "Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links"

Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, the Libyan rebel leader, has said jihadists who fought against allied troops in Iraq are on the front lines of the battle against Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, Mr al-Hasidi admitted that he had recruited "around 25" men from the Derna area in eastern Libya to fight against coalition troops in Iraq. Some of them, he said, are "today are on the front lines in Adjabiya".
Mr al-Hasidi insisted his fighters "are patriots and good Muslims, not terrorists," but added that the "members of al-Qaeda are also good Muslims and are fighting against the invader".

As I said, I have little expectation that if the revels do replace Qaddafi in governing all Libya that they will be any friendlier to the United States than Qaddafi has been. The administration is dreaming if it thinks that bombs will buy compliance from these guys, or even friendly feelings. But I don't think that anyone in the administration thinks that, from Obama on down. In fact, I don't believe that they are thinking at all.

Update: Al Qaeda is reported to have looted Libyan army arsenals in areas that came under rebel control and "is becoming a genuine army, the best equipped in the region."