Oil and War in Libya Thesis

Research Design

In this section, the researcher will focus on the methods used to collect, analyze, interpret, and present data collected in this study. Looting of oil by non-state actors, as Ocakli and Scotch (2017) observe is common in countries or regions with a weak and unstable government. These insurgencies thrive in places suffering from political instability. The article by Ocakli and Scotch (2017) was a comparative analysis that looked at the looting of oil in Syria by the Islamic State and in Nigeria by MEND and found out that the problem is likely to be more common in regions controlled by the insurgencies. However, it is interesting to note that the study revealed that despite the similarity in the strategy used by these looters, the two groups differ about religious, ethnic, ideological, and organizational structures (Tang, Xiong, & Li, 2017). This study seeks to investigate the same problem of oil looting in Libya, which is also affected by political instability just like the two states in the article. It would be necessary to determine the applicability of Ocakli and Scotch (2017) conclusion and assumptions to the Libyan case.

Methods Used In Addressing Research Questions

In this study, the researcher will use Ocakli and Scotch (2017) to work as a framework for the study. It means that the researcher will not collect primary data from the respondents in Libya. The time available and resources at the disposal of the researcher makes it impossible to travel to the specific regions of interest to collect data from the respondents. As such, the study will rely on published sources about the issue under investigation. Secondary data will be collected from reliable sources to help in addressing the research questions. The sources will include books, journal articles, and reliable online sources. It is important to note that the problem in Libya started after the long-time leader, Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi was forced out of power (Findley & Marineau, 2015). As such, the secondary data collected must be as current as possible, especially the specific information about the current problems in Libya.

According to Fowler (2013), when using secondary sources as the only source of data, it is always critical to address some of the conflicting information in the published sources. Using numerous current empirical studies may help in identifying and addressing these weaknesses. It is possible to determine the mistakes or wrong assumptions made by some authors that could have given rise to such conflicts. The study will be keen to identify and address such conflicts. Most of the articles used were empirical studies conducted by researchers in the recent past. The peer-reviewed articles were collected from reliable databases. Reliable online sources were also important in providing up-to-date information about events in the country and activities in the oil field. The following were the primary questions used in this study:

1. What are the strategies used by Libyan insurgents to loot oil?
2. In what ways do the Libyan insurgents use the wealth looted from the illicit oil trade?
3. What are the fundamental roles played by the Libyan authorities in the illicit oil trade in the country?
4. What is the relationship between the oil sector and the growing rebellion in the country?

Analysis of Data

Ocakli and Scotch (2017) conducted a comparative analysis of the situation in Syria and that in Nigeria to try and identify if there is a similarity in both cases. In this study, the researcher will also conduct a comparative analysis of the collected data. First, the researcher will analyze the situation in Libya based on the existing literature. The researcher will look at the strategies that the insurgencies used in this country, systems, and structures that make it possible to operate, and ways in which they use the income generated from the illicit trade. The researcher will then analyze the motivation behind the activities of the insurgencies in Libya, the religious and ideological factors, and the ethic and organizational structures. After the analysis of the situation in Syria, the researcher will compare the findings with that made in the article by Ocakli and Scotch (2017). Of interest during the analysis will be to establish similarity in patterns and approaches in the cases presented.

Practical and Technical Aspects of Conducting the Research

The primary focus of the study was to analyze the problem of oil looting in Libya based on the findings made by Ocakli and Scotch (2017) about the same problem. According to Almohamad and Dittmann (2016), Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are some of the world’s leading global oil producers and exporters within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. However, the problem of oil looting is not as common as it is in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Nigeria. A critical analysis of the countries reveals the problem is more common in politically unstable countries, irrespective of the geographical locations (Tezcür & Gurses, 2017). The technical aspect of the analysis will be to determine if there is a direct relationship between political instability and oil looting. Existing studies such as that of Ocakli and Scotch (2017) has already pointed out a possible close relationship between the two factors. This study will have to ascertain that by looking at the situation in Libya before the fall of Gaddafi (who ensured that the country remained politically stable) and after when various provinces of the country fell in the hands of rebels. From a practical perspective, it will also be necessary to investigate if other forces also influence oil looting in these countries. In Nigeria, political leadership is more stable than that in Syria and Libya (Wright, Frantz, & Geddes, 2015).

The article by Ocakli and Scotch (2017) has identified corruption and complacency by government officials as the other major problems fuelling oil looting, especially in Nigeria. Corrupt officials benefit a lot from the illicit trade, and as such, they are unwilling to crack down the illegal trade. Complacency is a common problem in Syria, as Ocakli and Scotch (2017) found out, and it is caused by the fear of the government to interfere with the rebels because of the possible armed confrontation that may arise. In this study, it will be necessary to research to determine if these two other major factors are also responsible for the problem in Libya (Geddes, Wright, & Frantz, 2014). If that is the case, it will be necessary to investigate the parties involved in corrupt dealings that facilitate illegal oil trade in the country. If it is a matter of complacency, it will be necessary to explain why the current authorities are unwilling and unable to deal with the current problem conclusively.

Analysis and Interpretation of the Results

The comparative analysis and interpretation conducted by Ocakli and Scotch (2017) help in understanding how a similar problem of oil theft is common in two different countries and the possible causes. In this study, the researcher will also conduct a comparative analysis and interpretation of the results. After collecting data that explain the nature of the problem and its possible causes in Libya, it will be necessary to compare the results with that of other scholars, top of which will be that of Ocakli and Scotch (2017). This is so because the current political problems in Libya are similar to that of Syria. Both countries are affected by political instability following the events of the Arab Spring (McLauchlin, 2017). However, it is important to note that the problem of oil looting is also common in Nigeria, a country that was not affected by the Arab Spring. It may be necessary, in the comparative analysis and interpretation of the findings, to explain why the problem is also witnessed in Nigeria.

The analysis will help to explain if forces such as corruption and compliance may as strong as, or even stronger than political instability in influencing oil theft in the affected countries. The findings and conclusions that will finally be made will help enhance knowledge in this field with the view of finding solutions to this problem and using oil resources for the benefit of the people in the affected countries. Although the analysis will not use statistics, the theory of comparative analysis will be used. This approach of analysis will help in testing the following Hypotheses:

• H1: The oil sector is a major factor that causes conflicts by making the state a target in the fight to control the resource.
• H2: The presence of rich oil reserves in a region increases the chances of the locals to fight for their sovereignty, and the rise of separatist movements because of the perceived benefits.
• H3: The oil sector is critical in funding the rebel organizations directly through extracting and selling of the products or by extorting rent from the oil corporations operating in the regions that they control.

Methodology

Background and Rationale for the Methodology

The choice of a comparative analysis method was important because of the need to determine the primary reason why oil looting is common in most of the politically unstable countries around the world. The events going on in Libya is unique in various ways compared with that of other countries such as Somalia, Iraq, Syria, and Libya (Ayelazuno, 2014). For instance, although the armed conflict is still going on in Syria, the president of the country (Bashar Hafez al-Assad) has not been toppled, which is not the same case as in Libya. In Syria, external military players from Russia and the United States are involved in the current armed conflicts either directly or indirectly. However, the Libyans are currently trying to redefine their political leadership without direct military intervention after the collapse of the Gaddafi regime. In Nigeria, democratically elected presidents have been in power since 1999 (Asal, Findley, Piazza, & Walsh, 2016). However, despite the relatively stable political environment in the country, many oil-rich provinces are directly or indirectly in control of the rebels. The decision to use a comparative analysis was arrived at because of the need to compare events in these different parts of the world where the problem is common (Duhalt, 2017). Before concluding the issue in Libya, looking at the events in these other countries would be necessary to make a comprehensive and fact-based conclusion. The analysis will help in exploring all the factors and how they are interrelated.

It focuses on the oil-producing areas of Libya where the rebels have challenged the authority and have taken control over the oil fields. It also focuses on the places where oil looting is the most common procedure in the country. This is why the research is designed in a different way to find out the answer to the most common question, which is the ways rebels are using for looting oil from Libya. The research design involves a comparison of similar cases with few similarities but with similar research objectives. In line with the case study method, which is considered as a special research methodology, this study will compare the findings of the case study of Ocakli and Scotch (2017). It focuses on oil looting areas in Libya to identify the potential utilization of looted oil. The insurgents of Libya are looting the oil but they are not using the oil directly, rather it is helping them to finance the rebellion (Paine, 2014). Hence, the study answers the questions using the most uniquely designed single case study method, as studying the oil looting areas and related news, journals, and papers is the only possible method of identifying the oil selling ways of the rebels.

A case study on the authorities in Libya could be considered as the most effective way of identifying the impact of authoritarian behavior on the Libyan rebellion. The authorities in Libya show a discriminative behavior to the different groups of people and it might have a significant impact on the oil looting (Roy, 2016). Hence, the research is designed to focus on answering this often raised issue by establishing a link between the presence of oil and the authoritarian behavior (Dizaji, Farzanegan, & Naghavi, 2016). The case would further establish a link between the discriminative behavior and the two-way movement and its intensity. No wars could sustain without sufficient supplies. Similarly, the duration of the civil conflict of Libya will not sustain for a long period unless the war is appropriately funded. Oil looting should be the most substantial source for the rebels, which is shown in the case study of Ocakli and Scotch (2017). Therefore, an in-depth case study on Libya would reveal the exact process of sustaining the civil conflict in the country as well as show the contribution of the oil sector to the sustainability of the conflict. In brief, the overall research design fits the methodology very well as it answers all the questions in the study. It also tests the three different but complementary hypotheses, which ultimately helps to conclude if the presence of oil in Libya has created political instability in the country or not.

Methods

Data Collection Method

Data used in this study will primarily be collected from secondary sources. The secondary data sources will be obtained from scholarly articles published in the recent past. Books on this topic will form another critical source of data. Data from different organizations, local and international news, data on oil production and distribution will also form an important source of information. The research will try to identify materials that explain the events in the country since the change of regime and how the oil trade has changed since then. The conflicts going on in the country has affected so many families. It will be prudent to collect information that explains why the rebels have decided to oppose the current regime. News reports research conducted in the country within the last five years can help in understanding the motivation behind the activities of the rebels in the country. Some of these researchers have directly engaged the rebels to understand why they fight the government and control the oil field. Accessing such materials will help in dissecting the problem in Libya by understanding its nature and motivations. Some of the studies have explained the impact of the ongoing rebellion and its impact on many families. The researcher will be keen to access literature that explains how victims of the war have suffered and the likelihood that they may also join or form rebel groups that may further affect the political stability in the country.

The rationale for the Selection of the Methods

Collecting primary data from respondents (rebels, victims, government officials, and experts) would have been very important in this study to help understand the current situation and how the players feel the problem should be addressed. However, the time available for this academic research and the current volatility in the region (security of foreigners is not guaranteed in the country) made it necessary to rely on the secondary data. As such, traditional library research (both the physical library and online libraries) was used in the study. The researcher made an effort to ensure that the articles and books used present the current situation in the country in the best way possible based on actual data collected in the country. The sources made it possible to have a true picture of the events in the country since the elimination of Muammar Gaddafi as the leader of the country (Smith, 2017). Data collection from many secondary sources would enable the selection of the most relevant data to test the hypotheses and to answer the questions. All the collected data relevant to the research can be easily analyzed through writing a case study using the data and then comparing it with the other similar case. Hence, the case study method seems to be effective in the case of Libya.

Potential Limitations of the Study

The study could use a case study model for analyzing quantitative data and qualitative data; future research using such a model could enhance the outcome of the research. The data will be collected from secondary sources that have focused on the oil looting in Libya, hence the result of a similar study on European countries or North America could present different outcomes. In this respect, the main limitation is that this study will rely primarily on the information of other scholars. The conclusion and possible recommendations will be informed (not by primary data collected from the field) but facts available in the books, journal articles, news reports, and other secondary sources. An extensive study on the topic would require a substantial amount of time; due to the shortage of time, the study might not cover all the aspects of the problem. The data given by some of the scholars might be misleading because of their interest in the current problem or their inability to be objective when they were conducting their study. The impact of oil on the sustainability of war cannot be shown empirically due to a lack of appropriate quantitative information.

Validity, reliability, and generalization

It is important to note that the validity and reliability of the study will rely on the information obtained from the secondary sources. To enhance validity and reliability, it was necessary to collect data from specific sources. The secondary data had to be from reliable and verifiable sources. Apart from that, the outcomes of the research are expected to be consistent with the previous research findings. Therefore, it is expected that the research findings will be reliable. The research data collection process will have an important impact on the research. The data collection process will use different approaches; and all the data collection processes will have a valid impact on the research. The collected data will, in general, be internally and externally validated. The generalization of the data will be subject to some factors. For instance, before generalizing that political instability and the emergence of insurgency groups are the main causes of oil looting in these volatile countries, other factors such as corruption and government laxity to act on the problem will have to be considered. The generalization will have to look at how all these factors interact to promote oil theft by non-state players. It will make it possible for the readers to understand the context under which the study can be applied appropriately.

Ethical Considerations

When conducting research, Cronin (2014) strongly advises that it is important to take into consideration all relevant ethical concerns. The study will carefully consider all the possible ethical aspects to make sure it does not violate any moral or ethical rights of the participants. When collecting the data and writing the report, the researcher will observe several ethical factors. The study will not disregard any data based on the opinion or personal bias of the researcher. Instead, all sources will be selected based on their authenticity to ensure that there will be no wrong information presented in the report. It will also be considered that the report does not follow any biases willingly while analyzing the data. The process of analysis will primarily be based on the information collected from the secondary sources. Cases, where personal feelings are expressed in the writing, will be avoided, especially during the analysis stage and in the presentation of the conclusion and recommendations. There should be no careless mistakes as the research was carried out with great care. While writing the report it will also be taken care of that the information was not taken from secondary sources without recognizing the contributors to the original work. The researcher will avoid any form of plagiarism, as directed by the school’s code of conduct. Any information collected from secondary sources will be properly referenced using American Psychological Association (APA) 6^th edition referencing style. In short, when writing this research paper and publishing it, all the internally adopted ethical standards will be followed. It is my strong belief that the paper will not violate any ethical or moral regulations of publishing a research paper.

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