Revealed: How US mercenaries offered Gaddafi $10m deal to flee Libya

Revealed: How US mercenaries  offered Gaddafi $10m deal to flee Libya

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2063465/Revealed-How-US-mercenaries-offered-Gaddafi-10m-deal-flee-Libya.html

By Hannah Roberts

Last updated at 11:22 PM on 18th November 2011

  
With the violence and chaos in Libya escalating as the country descended into civil war earlier this year, many were struck by the image of a country in turmoil.

But one group of mercenary individuals saw just one thing- a lucrative business opportunity.
Four Americans: a former CIA agent, a DC terrorism expert, a Kansas city lawyer and a onetime Republican National Committee member, offered themselves to Gaddafi as consultants for hire, new documents found in a Tripoli government building and published on Facebook show.

Venture: With Libya in turmoil one group of mercenary individuals saw a lucrative business opportunity

The upfront fee to begin negotiations? A cool $10 million.
According to the New York Times, 'The fees and payments set forth in this contract are MINIMUM NON-REFUNDABLE FEES,” the proposed contract stated. 'The fees are an inducement for the ATTORNEYS AND ADVISORS to take the case and nothing else.'

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The three-page letter, dated April 17 and addressed to Colonel Gaddafi, offered the Libyan leader the lobbying services of the so called 'American Action Group', who would attempt to gain political ground from the rebels and win United States government support.

The consultants promised to help free up billions of dollars in frozen Libyan assets by moving the government into line with United Nations resolutions.

The letter, written by another partner in the proposal, a Belgian named Dirk Borgers, noted that the rebels had their own lobbyists in Washington. and that to keep up, Gaddafi needed to get representatives on the ground.

Deal: a former CIA agent, a DC terrorism expert, a Kansas city lawyer and a onetime Republican National Committee member offered themselves to Gaddafi as consultants

Civil strife: As the violence and chaos in Libya escalated as the country descended into civil war, many saw a country in turmoil

Borgers' letter offered the services of Neil C Livingstone, 65, a terrorism specialist, television commentator and author who moved back to his home state of Montana this year to run for governor, as well as Marty Martin, a former CIA department head, the Times reported.

Also on board were Neil S. Alpert, who had worked for the Republican National Committee and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and Randell K. Wood, a Kansas City lawyer who has represented Libyan organisations for decades.

The embarrassingly gratifying letter said: 'Our group of Libyan sympathisers is extremely worried about this and we would like to help to block the actions of your international enemies and to support a normal working relationship with the United States Government.'
'Therefore it is absolutely required to speak officially and with one strong voice with the American Government.'

Mr Livingstone told the Times that he had never seen Borgers' letter before this week and that it misrepresented his aims.
'That doesn’t reflect our view at all,' he said. 'Our whole goal was to get the Gaddafis out of there as fast as possible.'

Group: Neil C Livingstone, 65, right, is a terrorism specialist, Randell K. Wood, left, is a lawyer who has represented Libyan organizations since the 1980s

CIA Chief: Marty Martin, a former CIA department head, was one of the consultants named in the letter

Mr Livingstone said that he was a longtime critic of Colonel Gaddafi's and had even been imprisoned by him in the 1970s.
He added: 'The idea was to find them an Arabic-speaking sanctuary and let them keep some money, in return for getting out'.

Marty Martin, who left the CIA in 2007, said he was surprised by the letter.

'We were not there to be lobbyists for Gaddafi,' said Mr Martin, 'I was not told anything about that letter.'
The aim of the deal was not to prop up the regime or save Gaddafi's life, but to prevent more loss of life in Libya by providing an exit path for the ruling family, he said.

Your excellency: The embarrassing letter, found in Libya and posted on Facebook

Ultimately the deal never came to fruition. Libyan officials rejected the approach, though it is unclear whether Gaddafi ever saw the letter, and the US Treasury might not have allowed the $10m to be paid to the group.

But Mr Borgers, who was in Tripoli at the time of the letter, claims that his motives were noble.

He too wanted to 'stop the butchering', he said.

Mr Borgers told the Times he was in favour of Gaddafi remaining in power until elections could be held.

In writing: The three-page letter, dated April 17 and addressed to Colonel Qaddafi, offered the Libyan leader the lobbying services of the so called 'American Action Group'

'I don't think he was that brutal a dictator,' he said.'He created a country out of nothing over 42 years. He created a very good lifestyle for the people.'

He admitted he 'might not' have shared the text of the letter with his business partners but the sole aim was not simply to make money, he said.