The problem here is that important decisions in Libya are taken by Muammar Gaddafi, so what really matters isn't the Libyan viewpoint, but his.
A trait parallel with what? 100% of the Arab nation? A region and group not exactly known for its Democratic decisions making. Diplomatic ties, and their history, between Libya and Egypt makes for an interesting read. In short, during the days of the Pan Arab dream, Qaddafi sent war planes to Egypt during its wars against Israel. Tho it never helped matters that both Sadat and Qaddafi saw themselves as Ultimate leaders of this Pan-Arab dream, its important to point out that at a time in recent history when the Egyptian air force and Libyan air force could be called one air force, and called so with some accuracy because Egyptian pilots flew many of the initial warplanes of the LAF in the earlier days due to a lack of Libyan pilots. This was also the days when French war planes became such an important asset to the Libyan AF. The French do make a bloody good airplane and no knowledgeable air historian can doubt the outstanding pedigree of the Mirage line of war planes. If I remember my history correctly Qaddafi himself rose to power in the LAF.
It was Mirage-5 fighters that flew in the opening shots of the 1973 war. They were fighters bought and paid for by Libya and flown by Egyptians pilots. I cant remember how many of these Mirages were given to Egypt for this conflict but it was at least 3 or 4 squadrons.
Qaddafi considered the war a failure and problems between him and Sadat started right after. The success the Mirage had during this war really kick started its sales to other Arab nations afterwards. Egypt was devastated economically after the war and soon after kicked out the Soviets and started peace negotiations with Israel, which really widened the rift between Qaddafi and Sadat and is what precipitated the 1977 border war between the two. A war that saw each send air craft deep into each other territory to attack their respective air bases.
Several times since then the two have come close to war.
He spent vast sums on weapons in the 1970s & early 1980s, & when it came down to it, they proved to be of very little value, Libyan forces routinely being defeated by technologically inferior, outgunned, & usually outnumbered opponents.
Nope! His Mirages were extremely valuable and the only real war they have ever fought, or close to a "War", was the incident against Egypt in 1977. Not only couldn't this really be called a "war" neither could either side say they won or lost. The clashes with America dont really count either because no Arab country ever stood a chance against the American war machine. And still dont now.
That's typical of Gaddafi. He has enthusiams. If he's thwarted, he doesn't stubbornly press on, he retreats, rethinks, & tries something else - which he also goes over the top on.
Actually he has been consistent with the one dream he has always had. That is to be the leader of the Pan Arab nation, or at the least the leader of the Libyan/Egyptian nation. That, and the destruction of Israel. Which he says he doesn't believe in but only after so many decades of sanctions by the West have beaten him and his country down.
So I must respectfully disagree. There is no objective need for Libya to arm against Egypt, & whether there is a perceived need depends on the whim of a famously volatile (but not stupid) man, who is currently trying to promote himself as an ally of the west against Al-Qaeda & their ilk. Libya has lots of low-hours, though rather old, aircraft, which with new avionics & weapons could be restored to effectiveness, as Morocco has done with its Mirage F1s. Whether Gaddafi prefers to do that, or try to buy something new, or not bother beyond the currently planned modest upgrade of Mirage F1s (less than the Moroccan one, IIRC), is unpredictable.
Want to see how Arab Dictators have dealt with Islamic fundamentalism when they perceive it as a threat to their regimes.
http://www.shrc.org.uk/data/aspx/d0/1260.aspx You probably dont remember the destruction of Hama tho do you? That's because the UN, Europe, indeed the world is a bunch of hypocrites. They have one standard for America to be judged under and another standard for these Dictators to be judged under, indeed the UN even voted Syria to head its Human Rights commission
nfloorl: . Another example would by the destruction of Chechnya by the Russians. The truth is Islamic Fundamentalism, and Wahhabi inspired terrorism, hasn't done to well when its threatened Dictatorships. Most of all in the Arab world, where 220 volts to the testicles is how a captured terrorist starts their day when in the hands of a "brother".
The Libyans see and "objective need" for a strong air force to protect themselves from the EAF. I have outlined some of the history that has motivated them to maintain a strong air force. Anyone, with any knowledge of war planes, would see a threat posed by a border nation, and possible antagonist, being able to field 200 F-16s. The Egyptians also operate the AH-64 Apache as well. Which is a system that can make you hurt bad unless you have some control of the air space.
So I must respectfully disagree. There is no objective need for Libya to arm against Egypt, & whether there is a perceived need depends on the whim of a famously volatile (but not stupid) man, who is currently trying to promote himself as an ally of the west against Al-Qaeda & their ilk.
If I may quote you again I have a real problem understanding this statement. Their air force is old, you say that yourself, and wouldn't even be interesting against the Egyptian F-16s, the current versions of which are without doubt more capable then any Russian made air craft. Just look at the history of Russian/Soviet fighters against Western ones and look at the kill ratios. Whats that tell you?
Respectfully if your going to make such grandiose statements at least research some facts to back them up.
