A Stratfor email from March 19, 2011 discusses a “closed door meeting” with a “few US, one UK and one French Air Force Colonels”.

This leaked internal communication reveals some of the thinking behind the 2011 operation in Libya.  Sadly, but not surprisingly, none of the reasons mentioned by the American, French or British Colonels seemed to be about saving lives, toppling Ghadafi or helping the rebels.  Instead, the morbid highlights included:

The UK attacked to help BP

“The UK guy says UK is driven by energy interests in this campaign. BP post-oil spill is suffering in US< other options are to expand in Siberia (problems with Russia), Vietnam and .. libya. They see a Ghadafi ouster as the best way to meet their energy interests.”

The French have an inferiority complex

“More than that, though, (and this is what the british and the french guy agreed on,) was that this was France really, really wanting to show that it can DO this. To prove its relevance.”

The US are short-sighted War Hawks

“USAF could not be more thrilled with the resolution. They are practically jumping out of their seats to do this operation — it’s a dream op, as they call it – flat terrain, close to the coast, easy targets. no prob.”

“… but the US guys are simply not looking at the ‘what’s next’ question. They brush it off as, we’ll get the rebel forces into a mean fighting force, they’ll handle the rest. We took a group of rag tag Afghans who were repressed into nothing and turned them into fighters, why can’t we do it with Libyans. (uhh…) They were amazed at my skepticism.”

More can be found at the Global Intelligence Files on Wikileaks.org