It certainly accelerated from a no Fly Zone to an all out War very quickly. of course Freddie Gadfly had been a pariah for decades. He really got up Governments noses and I think that he really enjoyed himself doing it.
He supplied most terrorist organisations of the World. FARC in Brazil, ETA in Spain, Bader Meinhoff in Germany and the IRA in Ireland to name but a few.
ETA and the Ira were supplied by ship and cross decking the cargo to smaller radar defeating boats. The game in Ireland was to run some Sea fishing trips to put authorities to sleep. they would go out regularly and catch fish, come back and keep or sell the fish. The even took fish outbound with them to ensure normality, especially on pick trips. they would n meet and cross deck. The labour was there to ensure speed.If they were queried on radio or hailed, they would say that they sold fresh fish to the cook!!!
The anecdote that I love about Freddie Gadfly was concerning his trip to address the United Nation. At first, he wanted to pitch tents for him and his entourage in Central Park, in New York. This was refused. He was offered a full floor in a real top class hotel near to the UN. He accept and then demanded that his rooms be big enough to pitch his tent inside the room!!!! He felt comfortable in his tent, he said. What an insult. I've never heard of a better one than that. Even rock band excesses cannot top it, in my opinion. It was a classic and I loved it. We have a phrase, in the West of Scotland, which describes it perfectly, pure dead gallus !
When Libya was blamed for Lockerbie. The sanctions did not make much difference as everybody wanted Libyan oil. Eventually Freddie paid up after 10 years. He had made plenty on rising oil prices. Libya used very little, internally and it was all for sale. it cost Libya nothing. When the leases came up for renewal, Freddie put up the prices to recover his payout. This was his downfall. Big oil were not please and so ordered the Governments to get Freddie or oil deliveries would become chaotic.
Unfortunately the only group fighting Freddie, inside Libya were all ex Al Qaida terrorists home from fighting Russians earlier and Americans et al, later. Needs must and makes strange bedfellows. it had to be an internal group to allow others to come to their aid. The stage was set and off then went into the sandpit.
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