Big Green Circles in the Desert: My Work on the Kufrah-Sarir Agricultural Project in Libya

Description

I wrote Big Green Circles in the Desert because I had a small window into events in the Middle East that attracted worldwide attention, and I wanted to preserve my stories. In the 1970s, I was a young geologist starting my first big job which was to drill wells in the Sahara Desert for water to raise crops of alfalfa. The pivot irrigators sprayed water in a circle creating green circles in the desert when the alfalfa grew. The green circles became prime targets for space shuttle astronauts because of the contrast between the desert sand and the green alfalfa. I encountered PLO fighters in Beirut, Col. Qaddafi in Benghazi, faced dangers in the desert, and a whole United Nations of workers and colleagues doing the work. Along with stories of my encounters, I took pictures of ancient historic sites, desert scenes, and the work on this interesting and innovative project. For those not planning a trip to Libya, this book is an opportunity to see Roman and Greek ruins in Libya and Lebanon, and desert environments that most people will never have a chance to see.

James C. Cobb, the author
December, 2025