Libya: Obama’s And Sarkozy’s Fog Of War

Robert McNamara: “We do not have the God-given right to shape every nation in our image.”

[Speaking Truth To Power]


Putin: Western "Crusade" On Libya

As Western warplanes—spearheaded by Washington—continue the
bombarding of positions in Libya, the question is: where will this latest
military misadventure, coined “Odyssey Dawn,” take us?

On Friday, submitting to political pressure on the domestic front, and
from abroad by France and England, President Barack Obama signed
on to yet another war; this time in Libya. During a trip to Chile, the
president stated “Our military action is in support of an international
mandate from the Security Council that specifically focuses on the
humanitarian threat posed by Colonel Gadhafi to his people. Not
only was he carrying out murders of civilians but he threatened more.”

Friday, President Obama said “Now, once more, MoammarGadhafi has
a choice. If Gadhafi does not comply, the international community will
impose consequences, and the resolution will be enforced through
military action.”

One day before, on March 17, the United Nations’ Security Council
adopted Resolution 1973 enacting a “no-fly zone” in Libya. The vote
was 10-0. Russia, China, Germany, India and Brazil abstained from
voting. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called the decision
“deficient and flawed” and “a medieval call for a crusade.”

Putin warned the resolution creates a precedent that “allows
everyone to undertake any action in relation to a sovereign government.”
China’s government- run People’s Daily Newspaper stated this “Western
action violates international law and courts unforeseen disaster.”

The Security Council claimed it needed to take action it “deemed
necessary for the benefit of the Libyan people.” They accuse Colonel
Qaddafi’s regime of engaging in actions against civilians that might
constitute “crimes against humanity.” The Security Council said it could
not “let the warmongers flout international legality.”

France’s Foreign Minster Alain Juppe said “the situation on the ground
is more alarming that ever marked by the violent re-conquest of cities
that had been released.” French President Nicholas Sarkozy is a primary
player in pushing for this action against Qaddafi. In fact, Qaddafi’s son,
Saifal-Islam, has accused Sarkozy of using Libyan money to finance his
political campaigns in France.

Saifal-Islam says the evidence to prove this will be released.
Sarkozy was the first to officially recognize the “rebels” in the city of
Benghazi.

President Obama proclaimed “Change in the region will not and cannot
beimposed by the United States or any foreign power. Ultimately, it will
be driven by the people of the Arab world.” He declared the coalition’s
“goal is focused, our cause is just, and our coalition strong.”

When leaders use words like “focused,” in regards to war, we should
worry.

Time and again, politicians talk about war as if they can control wars’
consequences. They can’t. War is unpredictably messy and foggy.
That reality was learned by former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert
McNamara.

In the 2003 documentary film, “Fog of War,” McNamara pointed out
“War is a blunt instrument by which to settle disputes between or within
nations.”

President Obama was, apparently, initially, against this foolish decision
of attacking Libya. However, he seems to have been convinced by
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and others, that engaging in military
mayhem, in another Muslim country, was somehow wise. America is
involved in major warfare in at least three Muslim countries: Iraq,
Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Does Washington really know where this military assault in Libya will
lead? Osama bin-Laden, somewhere, must be smiling.

The hypocritical hubris of Western nations is astounding. They tell us
this no-fly zone was agreed on by the “international community.”
For these people, that means what Western countries—usually,
England France and America—dominated by White males agree on.

The African Union (AU) opposes this imperial intervention in Libya.
But, Western countries don’t care about the opinions of Africans,
even when it involves Africa. To achieve a veneer of legitimacy, for
this atrocity, the West went to their political puppets in the Arab
League. What a joke. These very leaders are facing social
upheavals, in their countries--Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia--
because of the oppressive conditions they inflict on their people.

Why was it necessary to bomb Libya so quickly? Are they
telling us all means of peaceful diplomacy had already run
its course? Why couldn’t a delegation go to Qaddafi to lobby
for an end to hostilities?

Secretary McNamara in the classic documentary told
America “Our misjudgments of friend and foe, alike, reflected
our profound ignorance of the history, culture, and politics of
the people in the area, and the personalities and habits of their
leaders.”

Many have embraced the “rebels” in Benghazi, though, there
is evidence—including, from American diplomatic cables—that
some of these people, maybe, Al-Qaeda affiliates traveling to
places like Afghanistan to attack Western troops.

But leaders, like Sarkozy, have legitimized these armed
insurrectionists who are not peaceful protesters like those in
Tunisia and Egypt.

The Western “international community” pretends they wanted
to rescue Libyans, out of the goodness of their Christian hearts.
Where was France when one million Rwandans were being
massacred? Where were these Western emancipators when
five million Congolese were being slaughtered? Why don’t they
do anything, of consequence, when Israeli bombards civilians
in Gaza, Palestinians?

Ironically, in this period of “austerity,” when state budgets are
getting cut and even teachers and cops getting layed off, Western
nations have no qualms spending money to bomb another country,
especially, if it has oil.

Make no mistake about it: this ungodly folly will create more
anti-West hatred. Western leaders should remember Secretary
McNamara’s words “We did not recognize that neither our people
nor our leaders are omniscient. Our judgment of what is in another
people's or country's best interest should be put to the test of open
discussion in international forums. We do not have the God-given
right to shape every nation in our image.”


"Speaking Truth To Empower."




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