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Libya, Hypocrisy and Betrayal by the United Nations

Felicity Arbuthnot | 20.03.2011 19:42 | Terror War | World

The bombing of Libya will begin on or nearly to the day, of the eighth anniversary of the beginning of the destruction of Iraq, 19th March, in Europe. Libya too will be destroyed - its schools, education system, water, infrastructure, hospitals, municipal buildings. There will be numerous "tragic mistakes", "collateral damage", mothers, fathers, children, babies, grandparents, blind and deaf schools and on and on. And the wonders of the Roman remains and earlier, largely enduring and revered in all history's turmoils as Iraq, the nation's history - and humanity's, again as Iraq and Afghanistan, will be gone, for ever.

The infrastructure will be destroyed. The embargo will remain in place, thus rebuilding will be impossible. Britain, France and the US., will decide the country needs "stabilising", "help with reconstruction." They will move in, secure the oil installations and oil fields, the Libyan people will be an incidental inconvenience and quickly become "the enemy", "insurgents", be shot, imprisoned, tortured, abused - and a US friendly puppet "government" will be installed.

The invaders will award their companies rebuilding contracts, the money - likely taken from Libya's frozen assets without accounting - will vanish and the country will remain largely in ruins.

And the loudest cheerleaders for this, as Iraq, will be running round tv and radio stations in London, Europe and the US, then returning to their safe apartments and their UK/US/Europe paid tenures, in the knowledge that no bombs will be dropping on them. Their children will not be shaking uncontrollably and soiling themselves with terror at the sound of approaching planes.

And this Libyan "Shock and Awe"? Shame on France, shame on Britain and the US and a UN avowed: "... to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war." Every shattered body, every child maimed or blown to bits, every widow, widower, orphan, will have their name of those countries, and the UN., written in their blood in their place of death.

And the public of these murderous, marauding Western ram raiders, will be told that we were bringing democracy, liberating Libya from a tyrant, from the "new Hitler", the "Butcher of Bengazi."

The countries who have ganged together these last days to overthrow a sovereign government have, again, arguably, conspired in Nuremberg's: " ... supreme international crime, differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole", and yet again, plotted to overthrow a sovereign government, with a fig leaf of "legality" from an arm twisted UN. We have seen it all before.

Ironically, as I write, here in the UK., on the day Prime Minister Cameron is to make an announcement in Parliament on the proposed attack on Libya, it is Red Nose Day, founded in 1988, out of 1985's Comic Relief - which came from a refugee camp in Sudan, which borders Libya - to raise money for the children in need, in Africa. This red nose day, we plan to bomb them.

In time, it will emerge, who was stirring, bribing, de-stabilizing - and likely few will be surprised at the findings. But by then, Libya will be long broken and its people, fleeing, displaced, distraught.

When it comes to dealing with the usual "liberators", be careful what you wish for. In six months or so, most Libyans, whatever the failings of the last forty years rule, will be ruing the day.

Felicity Arbuthnot
- Homepage: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27727.htm

Comments

Hide the following 20 comments

What planet are your on?!

20.03.2011 20:13

For someone who is obviously supporting Gaddafi's slaughter of his own people who are only demonstration for their rights - I think you are clearly on the wrong site. Go back to the daily mail

hand wringer


@hand wringer

20.03.2011 22:33

and now you can support Nato's slaughter of Libyans, meaning that from now on, warplanes of Muammar Gaddafi have no right to strike at the "opposition" (in fact: bandits who had seized the government arms warehouses and are leading an armed struggle against the lawful government. The UN Security Council resolution calls for "all necessary measures" to protect the civilian population of Libya from the forces of al-Gaddafi - Who? Rebels with arms in their hands – is that a peaceful civilian population?

This UN resolution unties the hands of the imperialist hawks for aggression against Libya and jeopardizes the country's unity and indirectly encourages Libyans to kill each other.

In Libya, the international gendarme - United States, fighter for "human rights", is attempting to repeat the scenario of the destruction of Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan. In a unipolar world, which become such because of the dismemberment of the USSR, unfortunately there is no force capable of confronting the criminal policy of the United States – the world dictator, brazenly ignoring the fundamental provisions of international law on the full sovereignty of each independent state.


As you know, in September 1969 after the revolution led by Muammar Gaddafi, in Libya the monarchy was overthrown, the monarchy which helpfully entitled foreign companies to shamelessly plunder Libya and for a song to take away its national wealth - oil. The new revolutionary government after overthrowing the rotten regime, strongly indicated its desire to achieve national independence and the elimination of foreign domination and to implement progressive economic and social transformation. Britain was forced to evacuate their military bases in March 1970 from the territory of Libya and the U.S. - in June 1970.

As a result of the transformations, the Government of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, headed by its leader Gaddafi, put the country's oil resources in the service of the Libyan people. In recent years, Libya has firmly ranked first in terms of human development in Africa and has the highest life expectancy on the continent. This is the most advanced country of all countries on the African continent.

However, the country needed a large number of foreign workers to carry out ambitious plans for economic growth and social development. The Libyan government has provided jobs to hundreds of thousands of foreign workers - Egyptian, Tunisian, Chinese and others. Today, most of them (for good pay) along with a small part of sold out to the US Libyan intellectuals and drug addicted youth have been used by an extensive network of foreign intelligence services (primarily American) as the "opposition" in an attempt to overthrow the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. World imperialism needs Libyan oil, the oil of the highest quality, and gas. The rhetoric of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton about "democracy" and "human rights", are lies and misinformation, propagated by all the foreign media regarding events in Libya, have the same goal - to overthrow the anti-American independent Muammar Gaddafi, and to lay their hands on their wealth of Libya, putting at the head of the country their own loyal puppet. But, as witnesses say, the majority of Libyans support their leader.

Huge amounts of money dumped into the laps of the "opposition" by the West, have allowed the opposition for a time, to establish control over the east of the country and some western areas. However, to capture entire Libya by means of "quick wins" and another "colour revolution" failed. Gaddafi and his entourage were able to mobilize all the loyalist part of the country and launch an offensive against pro-Western forces "insurgents." As a result, the "rebels" were forced out of major refining centres of Libyan oil and the port of Ras Lanuf and Marsa el-Brega, cities Es-Zawiya, Sirte and Adzhdabiya, and also an assault on the third city of Libya, Misurata, was launched and government forces are preparing an operation to free the main centre of the pro-Western rebels - the country's second city - Benghazi.

Seeing that the sweet dream of owning Libyan oil is becoming unattainable, the U.S. pushed through on March 18 this year via the UN Security Council, a resolution, paving the way for predatory attacks on a defiant state. The Italian government has already announced that it is ready to provide military bases to implement the UN Security Council resolution adopted, and the military air base in Sicily, which is used by the 6 th U.S. Navy, the most closely located to Libya, a NATO base, is preparing to conduct military operations ...


Support the people of Libya and its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, fully support their just struggle for freedom and independence of their country!

Demand an end to the inhumane preparation of international imperialism, headed by the U.S. of new aggression against Libya now!

Hands Off Libya!

Urge the entire international community, not wishing to burn in the hell of a third world war, to block the path of the imperialist madmen, trying to rekindle the fires of war in North Africa!

If the war is brought to your own doorstep, don't Gadafii but blame your Cameron and your Obama leaders, just as those goverments are responsible for 9/11 and 7/7 etc.

D


@D

20.03.2011 23:09

I don't know why you are going back in history that far. You just need to look at the present.
Protestors are getting killed by Gaddafi's forces
You sound like a pro gaddafi supporter to me

Have you actually heard his speeches? And what his son said?

Our governments weren't responsible for 7/7 or 9/11

Gaddafi supported the IRA. That makes him our enemy.

hand wringer


Slam dunk - back-o-the-net!

21.03.2011 00:56

"I don't know why you are going back in history that far. You just need to look at the present.
Protestors are getting killed by Gaddafi's forces
You sound like a pro gaddafi supporter to me"

Perhaps you don't feel that the history of Libya is of interest. But then you wouldn't would you? Its a litany of facts that comprehensively undermines the current bombing campaign. Look again and you will find that everything that Khaddafi has done for the Libyan people...represents exactly and precisely what Britain & America claim to be good governance. Investment in infrastructure, social security benefits, improved living standards, high literacy, high GDP, high per-capita income, low infant mortality, investment in agriculture, investment in industry, investment in schools, road, rail, police, shipping, air provisions, investment in business, industry and commerce, investment in energy production! Certainly plenty to be embarrassed about for the capitalist war-monger!

And protesters are they?

Protesters do not carry automatic weapons, drive tanks carrying live shells and mobile hit & run vehicle mounted heavy machine guns, use surface to air missiles, bazooka's, rocket propelled grenades or are led by uniformed military personnel. Protesters do not call for foreign intervention in the form of air strikes. Protesters do not blow up government installations and do not carry out targeted assassination's of civilian police forces.

If an organised, armed, paramilitary force were to emerge in the UK led by military figures wearing uniforms, driving tanks, shooting down RAF jets, shooting police officers, blowing up government installations, calling for the deposing of Parliament or a breakaway state and asking for, and getting, UN approval for foreign states to carry out an aerial bombardment of London's key installations...would you call them protesters?

I had no idea soap-dodging work-shy layabouts were that organised!!!

"Have you actually heard his speeches? And what his son said?"

Have you heard what Cameron, Obama and Sarkozy have said about this being a humanitarian action?

"Our governments weren't responsible for 7/7 or 9/11"

Seems like that's the case doesn't it...if only the majority of the worlds population agreed!!!

"Gaddafi supported the IRA. That makes him our enemy."

You support the Imperial Empire of America...that makes you everybody's enemy!

Knot-Eyed Jaguar


I hope..

21.03.2011 09:29

'In six months or so, most Libyans, whatever the failings of the last forty years rule, will be ruing the day. '

Good article, Felicity. I really hope your prediction turns out to be incorrect. Alas, as George Galloway pointed out recently, BP has 15 billion pounds of investments in Libya so, I think you'll be proved correct.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk2u-pvOpcc



@ hand wringer - understanding even a little of the history of western involvment in Libya (and indeed, the whole of the worlds oil-producing regions) is crucial, if you want to understand what's happening right now. And of course, Libyan history is of vital importance to the Libyan people, even if it's meaningless to you! "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

embee


Same everytime

21.03.2011 10:04

Years of political demonization followed by utter destruction of a peoples infrastructure and theft of their resources.

Arthur


back on planet earth

21.03.2011 13:03

"However, the country needed a large number of foreign workers to carry out ambitious plans for economic growth and social development. The Libyan government has provided jobs to hundreds of thousands of foreign workers - Egyptian, Tunisian, Chinese and others. Today, most of them (for good pay) along with a small part of sold out to the US Libyan intellectuals and drug addicted youth have been used by an extensive network of foreign intelligence services (primarily American) as the "opposition" in an attempt to overthrow the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. "

None of the achievements of the Great Leader seem to involve winning elections - any particular reason for that? I mean it's not like he's a tyrant or something is it? He can't be - the US hate him so he must be good.

mumu's mum


Democracy, the Great tyranny.

21.03.2011 15:54

"None of the achievements of the Great Leader seem to involve winning elections - any particular reason for that? I mean it's not like he's a tyrant or something is it? He can't be - the US hate him so he must be good."

What exactly is your point? If he isn't elected, he must be evil and nothing else matters? I'd rather have a genuine man/woman of the people, than an army of sterile, single issue, identical representative clones to represent me. Where's the representation in that?

Considering all the things he has achieved, the vast majority of them things that western leaders spend their lives encouraging and campaigning on, his status as an elected official doesn't mean a lot. Certainly not enough to warrant the west deposing him, with military might!

Clarity.


tomorrow is yours

21.03.2011 17:50


"I'd rather have a genuine man/woman of the people, than an army of sterile, single issue, identical representative clones to represent me.

Ah yes - a strong brave individual, leading his (generally his) country through the storms, in a sharp uniform, tolerating no dissent, coming down hard when necessary and yet gentle with the women folk of the nation. Stormfront's that way, mate...

Where's the representation in that?"

The representation is you can kick them out. Our democracy is far from perfect, but its fuirther down the road to a decent society than a brutal dictator.

The fact is that Gadhaffi's a fascist scumbag, a large proportion of his subjects rebelled against him and, after arming the bastard for decades the very least the west can do is to help get rid of him.

mumu's mum


Close to the Bone!

21.03.2011 19:24

"Ah yes - a strong brave individual, leading his (generally his) country through the storms, in a sharp uniform, tolerating no dissent, coming down hard when necessary and yet gentle with the women folk of the nation. Stormfront's that way, mate."

Haven't a clue what any of that means!

"The representation is you can kick them out. Our democracy is far from perfect, but its fuirther down the road to a decent society than a brutal dictator."

Yes, well, you said it. "Far from perfect". I would say fatally flawed! I consider what the government is now doing, is very much on par with the actions of tyrannical dictators. The government and media are now trying to find a national consensus for killing khaddafi himself. Assassinating leaders of foreign nations is an act of international terror and conquest (I won't bother with complaining its illegal, Parliament has a reputation now for breaking the law!) The governments attitude seems to be, if we can get away with it, then it must be right. Exactly and precisely the modus-operandi of your modern-day dictator!

In this sense, believe me, whether a "leader" is elected or not doesn't mean a damn thing!

"The fact is that Gadhaffi's a fascist scumbag, a large proportion of his subjects rebelled against him and, after arming the bastard for decades the very least the west can do is to help get rid of him."

Why would you want to get rid of him? For the west he is a capital investment, lots of money has been put into him through arms sales. Maybe you see an opportunity to kill him off, destroy as much of his ageing weapons stock as possible, ally yourself with his "victors" so you can sell our latest range of weapons to them in order to "re-tool" that country at a profit. Now that would make sense wouldn't it? In this sense its not so much a humanitarian war is it? more a commercial venture in order to stimulate the British economy via the arms industry (I knew there was a reason why politicians are so bright-eyed when out of power, but when they get into government, develop the poker face and dead-pan stare! Its because only when in power, do they finally realise the reality of capitalism!)

But its a funny thing, I have not met a single solitary individual that has said anything even remotely close to what you are saying about him being a fascist!!

Everybody I have heard talking about this has, to a man, to a woman, said how the fuck did the government find the money to fund this bombing campaign when public services are being cut and we have had to cut back so badly. Your comments are not just out of the ordinary, but utterly weird and completely off-the-wall!

I think there is a very real possibility, that you are the only person currently in the UK who thinks this. I'm stumped if I can find anyone that agrees with you, and I have a talent for finding public opinion!

Clarity


to clarify

21.03.2011 20:18

Sorry you didnt understand the first bit - I was pointing out that preferring a strong man/woman of the people rather than the messy mediocre wishy-washiness of democracy is an attitude more at home on Stormfront (a far right forum).

As for :
"Everybody I have heard talking about this has, to a man, to a woman, said how the fuck did the government find the money to fund this bombing campaign when public services are being cut and we have had to cut back so badly. Your comments are not just out of the ordinary, but utterly weird and completely off-the-wall!

I think there is a very real possibility, that you are the only person currently in the UK who thinks this. I'm stumped if I can find anyone that agrees with you, and I have a talent for finding public opinion! "

I think you'll find opinions (outside the little radical bubble) are pretty much divided on this one. Most people seem to agree that Ghadaffi is a brutal tyrant. It's what (if anything) should be done by outside agencies to help the Libyans free themselves that is the bone of contention. To suggest I'm the only person in the UK who supports military action suggests you may be spending too much time with people who think exactly as you do. Not necessarily healthy, as it detaches you from broader views.

mumu's mum


People like you and me vs. tyrants like us and them

21.03.2011 20:31

Gaddafi is as safe as in the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, except that a head of state has more resources to hide his ass in an undisclosed location than the average civilian casualty.

The United Nations would not approve of this war if it was merely to defend the interests of the West. They did not do that in the war against Yugoslavia. When they do it now, it is not an expression of the weakened role of the dollar against other currencies, but of the fact that this war is being waged not for the particular interests of the West but for the interests of the police state. Possible vetos are owned by other police states, all of which are interested to exceed their historical expiration date, and this shared interest appears to outweigh all increased rivalry. Historically this constellation is a test case for future generations to see whether before the revolution governments were run by police states or the other way round and if so how it turned.

With Tunisia´s former dictator having paid respect to the authenticity of the insurrection against the global police state, Egypt´s people having won over their client state army against a metastasising police state, and now Libya revealing itself as a tattering police state whose sheer possibility to exist also reveals how empty the promise of freedom has become planetwide (not to mention the outnoised Sahrawi struggle which preceded all this, or the hyped Sudanese partition it sidelined as a model), the insurrection in Africa and the dissident solidarity from Europe are being perceived as an existential threat by the global police state. This is the treacherous consensus that dominates the United Nations. It mirrors the fact that the police state is just that to the goal of liberty.

Other than in the case of Iraq, there are no weapons of mass destruction in this one and no flashback idealism, the enemy is drastically failing to masquerade behind a perspective of system change, revealing itself as what it is.

just that


No one cares about khaddafi

21.03.2011 22:02

"Sorry you didnt understand the first bit - I was pointing out that preferring a strong man/woman of the people rather than the messy mediocre wishy-washiness of democracy is an attitude more at home on Stormfront (a far right forum)."

When I say a man/woman of the people, I mean OF THE PEOPLE. Somebody who can maintain a proven track record of providing for the people, not some psychotic, egomaniac, misfit power junkie who sees the world in one dimension only! Which is what those on the far-right fantasise about.

Hitler and Castro are both examples of dictators, but very clearly and obviously they are not the same thing! One is a man of the people, the other a raving, psychotic, mentally retarded deviant.

"I think you'll find opinions (outside the little radical bubble) are pretty much divided on this one. Most people seem to agree that Ghadaffi is a brutal tyrant. It's what (if anything) should be done by outside agencies to help the Libyans free themselves that is the bone of contention. To suggest I'm the only person in the UK who supports military action suggests you may be spending too much time with people who think exactly as you do. Not necessarily healthy, as it detaches you from broader views."

I'm talking to ordinary people who are not activists and have never come into contact with activists. They are people who resent being told to tighten their belts and to tolerate cuts to THEIR public services, only to find the government spending millions poncing about trying to "improve things" for people in a foreign country! The government has said it doesn't have the money to keep some schools open in my area, but still has money to spend lobbing multi-million pound missiles about in Libya fighting for the rights of people sitting on top of tanks carrying machine guns!

This is a long way past unconvincing, its taking the fucking piss!

I don't see this "humanitarian" operation lasting for more than another week or so. After that, the government will find the matter is comprehensively out of their hands!

Dictator or no dictator, the British tend to put their own households first.

Ill say it again. I can't find anybody even prepared to discuss or entertain the idea of whether or not Khaddafi is a dictator, as soon as the subject comes up, in the blink of an eye, they are talking about local services and where the government got the money for this operation! Most of these people, couldn't point Libya out on a map!

Clarity.


Quite right

22.03.2011 09:51

Hitler was indeed a man of the people ['Hitler and Castro are both examples of dictators, but very clearly and obviously they are not the same thing! One is a man of the people, the other a raving, psychotic, mentally retarded deviant.'].

I think the point that is being made is that once the dictator is there, be it Castro or Hitler, you are stuck with them. They hang on to power unto death. In a democracy, you can turf them out after four or five years if you don't like them.

As to whether Gadaffi is a tyrant or not - well, I think you have to live there to judge that one. However, the sight of him turning his air force jets onto his own citizens ought to make one a touch queasy.

authoritarian


shamocracy

22.03.2011 16:16

We have a Queen whom we sing to God for her safety.
We fund this untouchable woman and her rabble .
We have Eton educated leaders of all the 3 parties dictating and prosecuting oil wars .
Tell me where the democracy begins please.
They are all basically prostitutes to the real money , and we fall for the same old justifacations for war everytime.
Atleast Fidel fought hands on for a cause that most Cubans are proud of.
I am embarrassed and ashamed to be British/English/Subject.

rose


Where does the democracy begin?

22.03.2011 16:43

At the ballot box. You might not like the result you get, but it's better than someone ruling your country by brute force and by shooting dissidents.

authoritarian


Then you don't.....

22.03.2011 17:06

understand democracy.

Where is your power to stop these tyrants stealing oil?

rose


Sorry - you don't!

22.03.2011 22:22

In a democracy, what I think is irrelevant. It's what the majority wants that counts. One individual has no power, many do. Bowing to the wishes of one person is tyranny.

authoritarian


democracy

23.03.2011 21:53

You can't have a minority dictating to the majority. That would be stupid.

If there is a 1,000 people and 990 vote one way, then that is the decision.

numbnuts


Democracy begins where the reign of secret police ends

23.03.2011 22:02

The ballot box on the other hand is where representation begins. A ballot box which allows to support every party with an useful idea is more useful than an one party ballot box. A ballot box which allows voters to vote for any number of parties is more useful than an one voter one vote ballot box. Democracy + mutually exclusive voting = group think rule + bully hegemony.

BTW - Castro and Hitler in one breath certainly are an epic mention, because when it comes to an opinion on the Jews they cover the entire spectrum. Gaddafi might not like his own position on the Castro-Hitler-scale.

autonomous token


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