GOLD, OIL AND WATER

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Libya's central bank has nearly 144 tonnes of gold in its vaults.

And, Libya has oil and water.

Patrick Henningsen, at Global Research, 15 April 2011, has an article entitled:

The West Versus China: A New Cold War Begins on Libyan Soil

Among the points made:

1. AFRICOM documents reveal the US aim in Libya: the control of resources such as oil, and the eviction of China from North Africa.

The US formed AFRICOM in 2007; 49 countries signed on; Libya refused to join.

2. China has 50 large projects in Libya.

However, China’s investments in North Africa are now having to be reduced.

3. Libya’s Great Man Made River could make Libya the 'bread basket' of Africa. Agriculture in Libya is in competition with Israel.

4. One AFRICOM study suggests that China will eventually send troops to Africa to defend its interests there:

“Now China has achieved a stage of economic development which requires endless supplies of African raw materials and has started to develop the capacity to exercise influence in most corners of the globe. The extrapolation of history predicts that distrust and uncertainty will inevitably lead the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to Africa in staggering numbers…”