...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all. Actually, he is, but slowly...with CIA Director William Burns in eastern Libya on January 13, 2023, there were claims that Haftar proposed a solution to the Libyan crisis by withdrawing his candidacy for the presidential elections in exchange for allowing his sons to succeed him.
On January 18, 2023, the Russian writer, Igor Subbotin, confirmed in an article in the local newspaper, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, that Haftar, 79, is ready to give up his candidacy for the presidency of Libya in favor of one of his sons.
Libyan sources also confirmed to al-Estiklal that Haftar’s meeting with Burns and with the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, in Cairo on January 9, 2023, revealed his intention to withdraw from politics in favor of one of his sons.
CONDITIONAL WITHDRAWAL
The sources, who asked not to be identified, confirmed that Haftar feels his reign has almost finished because of his health crisis. He also feels that the Libyans have rejected him and countries used to support his reign have abandoned him, so he seeks to prepare his son, Saddam, to succeed him and take over, although he is also popularly rejected.
The same sources explained that Haftar asked his partners in eastern Libya and the Speaker of the Parliament of Tobruk, Aguila Saleh, and al-Menfi, during his meeting in Cairo, to support his son to run in the upcoming presidential elections instead of him.
The Russian writer, Igor Subbotin, said that the negotiations that took place in Egypt on January 9 revealed Haftar’s lack of interest in running for the presidential elections, which are expected to be organized this year under the supervision of international mediators, which could accelerate the transformation of eastern Libya into a pro-Western party.
The writer explained that some attribute the flexibility shown by Haftar regarding the conditions for launching the electoral process to the deterioration of his health, as well as the pressure exerted on him by the international community.
Subbotin confirmed that it was the health condition that prompted Haftar to demand during the negotiations in Egypt not to put obstacles in the way of the possible candidacy of one of his sons, Saddam or Khaled, in the upcoming presidential elections in return for his withdrawal.
William Burns’ meetings with Haftar and the head of the Libyan government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, were an indication that the Libyan file had turned into a security issue for Washington.
Talk about Washington’s intention to expel the Russian Wagner forces from Libya as part of the operations to clamp down on Moscow in Ukraine was the main headline in Burns talks with Haftar, according to Libyan sources.
They explained to al-Estiklal that Haftar is not a stranger to the Americans, as he holds American citizenship and has many properties in America.
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