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--with a smear of 'democracy' cosmetics (and I mean cosmetics--a la Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, iraq and Afghanistan)--that will re-privatize Libya's oil, transfer most of the oil profits to "western" bankster/big investor pockets, privatize and loot social programs, give up "Pan-Africanism" and unity with the "global south," and vote "western" corporate interests in OPEC.
There are pro's and con's on Gaddafi, but one of the things he did was to BALANCE these various interests in Libya's oil and to defend the SOVEREIGN interests of the Libyan people in their chief resource. He mellowed (from his Lockerbee/armed leftist rebel days), made peace with the "west" to the great benefit of his people, and strengthened Libya as a sovereign state and a force in world affairs. This is WHY a substantial portion of Libya's military remains on his side in the civil war that has broken out--which started out as peaceful democracy protests but quickly turned into an armed conflict and one in which complicated tribal rivalries are in play. The Libyan military loyal to Gaddafi without question feels that they are defending Libya's SOVEREIGNTY. Whether the rebellion was "western" instigated, or is merely "western"-infiltrated, probably cannot be known, at this point, but what seems clear to me is that this armed rebellion is very likely rife with future 'Gadaffi's' just biding their time until they can muscle their way into power, and they are counting on the "west" to accomplish that purpose for them. Who is using whom? Hard to say. But ALL past and recent history of the "west" in Middle East/North African affairs--ALL OF IT, no exceptions--is the "west" interfering from the get-go to destroy SOVEREIGNTY in these countries--to turn them into "western" chattels.
I am NOT "supporting" Gaddafi, believe me. I think he's an asshole. And I don't support war, and its mass murder and its mayhem and its horror, ever. We MUST STOP WAR. That's what the UN was for. Let's do it. LET'S STOP IT. How? You settle ALL DISPUTES PEACEFULLY. That's how you do it. You friggin REMOVE the war profiteers from the situation and you MAKE PEACE.
But that is NOT what the "west" is doing in this situation. Gaddaffi may have gone off the egoistic deep end, but the cold greed of "western" leaders is no more edifying and a lot more disgusting for its hypocrisy.
Just remember this: 'We' are not killing a 'dictator' in Libya. 'We' are killing PEOPLE--loyal military, innocent bystanders. THAT's who is DYING under our bombs and rockets and drones. 'We're' killing MORE people. MORE people are dying so that the 'side' that 'we' have chosen (or created) will WIN.
Nobody tried peace in Libya. Nobody even proposed it (except for Hugo Chavez). None of the bombing "western" powers suggested TALK. Nobody suggested ARMISTICE. Nobody suggested DISARMAMENT. (Cuz "western" war profiteers are supplying all the weapons!) They just sat back and let this civil war develop, giving the rebels encouragement, if not outright instigating the whole event. Nobody talked peace because nobody wanted peace! They wanted mayhem.
And the sad part is--besides the continued loss of life, suffering and civil disorder that the U.S. has fostered in this case, and is fostering and creating in numerous places around the world--is that we, the people of the U.S., who are paying for U.S. policy, have NO SAY in U.S. policy. None.
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