After over a fortnight of interventionist propaganda of Messrs Cameron and Sarkozy, finally we hear some sane voices coming out against intervention in Libya. David Cameron, the British Prime Minister got elected by speaking against US-UK interventionist “regimes” of Bush-Blair-Brown.
The pocket sized Frenchman Nick Sarkozy was the first one to oppose Russian intervention in Georgia in 2008. What changed since then? Cameron is drawing flak from domestic press against his policies on Tax, and education fee increase…and is trying to get back British foreign policy independence, and respect of the 80s. Sarkozy is equally desperate to make France somewhat relevant in Global politics.
Some of the shortsighted media groups, Guradian and Telegraph being two of them, are racheting up rhetorics, highlighting the plight of the glorified “ragtag” bunch of rebels, in a propaganda war which can have the Cuban press during the Che times go back to journalism schools. But here’s the other side of the arguement.
1. The rebels in Libya, who are they? Supported by whom? Is there any official ideology? Are they Islamists, bunch of hooligans and thugs? No one knows for sure. Just by being emotional and supporting them, only to find out that they are fundamentalists will be the last thing any sane person would want.
2. Messrs Cameron and Sarkozy, and by and large the full of Europe, has the habit of big talks and then poking US to act. Not that they don’t have military power to impose the no fly zone, why don’t they do it? Don’t they have the guts? Or just that they always want to fire keeping the gun on US shoulders? So that later on no one can blame Europe? That has always been the case…always. Right from Vietnam, to Bosnia, to Iraq…Europe never owns up. Its never their collective responsibility. European hypocrisy should take a beating, about time.
3. The Arab League chief, Amar Moussa, is a known two face. Today hs wants intervention, tomorrow he will be the first one to blame the deaths on west. Why don’t they intervene? The Saudis intervened in Bahrain a few days back…why are they sitting idle now this time, looking up to the face of USA backed world, the same USA which they will blame later?
4. What about Russia, China, India and the Latin Americans? Oh oil factor…forget it.
5. Lets face it, no fly zone is bombing…which would cause deaths on both sides, and most importantly huge collateral damage. Libya is not Afghanistan or Iraq, they have decent military power. Maybe not to win, but to fight fiercely. Any one willing to take that risk now? With this economy? And as I said, what if Gaddafi goes and the rebels are seen as worse fundamentalists? We see what is happening in Egypt, with the fundamentalists returning one by one…and the Lara Logan episode by the, by the “free democratic minded revolutionaries”.
6. Lastly, Gaddafi has actually changed in the last ten years, and was with Mubarak actually an ally of the west during Iraq. The US under Bush even removed Libya from the list of countries actively supporting terrorism in 2006, after Dafi allowed UN inspectors, and disarmed of WMDs, and turned to a market economy. I guess here he is in fact better than the rebels of Middle East…
There are better thing than being emotional…practicality is one of them. And obviously better things to do than bombing mindlessly, forgetting who is the lesser evil. Sending aid to the rebels is one of them. Let them have food and medicins. And let them decide their own fate.
