One of the amazing things about this "humanitarian war" on Libya has been how the parties involved did not even bother to hide the fact that the spoils of war (mostly, but not entirely, oil) were going to go to those countries who helped the rebels cause. The situation is to the point where even big oil moutpieces are saying the scene is "unseemly."
The leader of the rebel's National Transition Council, Moustapha Abdel Jalil reiterated recently that countries would be rewarded "according to support" given to their war. France, which was the first Western country to call for Gaddafi's ouster and support the rebels with arms and other support, apparently is first in line.
On 3 April a letter was allegedly sent by Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) to a coalition partner, Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, which mentioned that France would take "35 percent of crude oil…in exchange for its total and permanent support" of the NTC. France’s Liberation daily reported on Thursday that it had a copy of the letter, which stated that the NTC’s Information Minister Mahmoud Shammam, would negotiate the deal with France. In 2010 France was the second purchaser of Libyan oil after Italy, with over 15 percent of its "black gold" imported from Tripoli.
France and the rebel's "information minister" are solemly denying such a deal, but the French paper Liberation says it has a copy and that it is legit. Only time will tell who is telling the truth, but this is one to keep an eye on.
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