Honggweilo
23rd February 2011, 01:28
google translated article from dutch
The uprising in Libya: an embarrassment to the West
In the riots in Tunisia and Egypt attacked the reluctance of the Western headquarters already. Our political leaders called on Mubarak Ben Ali and to minimize the violence and secretly hoped that the friendly dictators in power would remain.
Libya: between Tunis and Cairo, in times of revolt (ticket: Al Jazeera)
Vain hope, but all in all use of force was not too bad. The moral damage to the West was thus fairly limited.
No sanctions
This time put the security forces in artillery, they merrily shooting with live ammunition and fighter jets have been bombing missions. On February 21 there a few days back at least 300 people dead, possibly more. European leaders are not impressed. They do not go beyond a condemnation of the violence. No sanctions, such as it happened in the past with Iran, or even for example with Cuba is not even similar facts as for picking up 75 government opponents who worked on behalf of the U.S. or through paid. [1]
Foreign Minister Stephen Anackere: "There is still plenty of time to the proper conclusions if further developments move towards the poor." Franco Frattini, Italian Foreign Minister, goes one step further. He "hopes that Qadhafi the situation in his country soon in hand" because according to him, the riots in Libya 'not motivated by the need for freedom as in Tunisia and Egypt, but by the desire for a fundamentalist , to establish Islamic state "and that should not be encouraged. [2]
The weapons are deployed there today come largely from the West
The situation is even more painful when you know that last year Belgium has supported Libya's candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council [3] and that the weapons are deployed there today for the most part come from the West.
FN Herstal in 2009 for 11.5 million euros more weapons and ammunition supplied to the country. In 2009, British military firms cameras, ammunition for sniper rifles delivered to a value exceeding 230 million euros. In 2007 French companies supplied more than 400 million euros on weapons.
General Dynamics in the U.S. for 165 million U.S. dollars of sophisticated communications systems supplied to an elite brigade of the Libyan army. It is this brigade is commanded by a son of Qadhafi, and using that weaponry has been pounding the city Benghazi. [4]
Romance with the devil
It is quite embarrassing when you know that Qadhafi in the eighties and nineties was almost the devil incarnate to the West. Libya was suspected of supporting terrorist groups and to develop WMD. President Reagan called Gaddafi a "mad dog". The capital, Tripoli in 1986 was even bombed by the U.S., where two of Qadhafi's children died.
At that time Saddam Hussein was the great friend of the West because he was useful in the fight against Iran. Libya, however, was a real pariah state, comparing today with North Korea or Iran.
But that was long forgotten and forgiven. 2003, Qadhafi agreed to end its nuclear weapons program to halt and dismantle its ballistic missiles. It was the beginning of a strong romance. He was in Brussels in 2004 with high honors by Guy Verhofstadt. In the White House he described as "a man of personality and experience." Tony Blair called him a "partner in the fight against terrorism" The New York Times described his son, who spoke yesterday threatening language on television, as the Western-friendly face of Libya and the symbol of hope for reform and openness. "[5]
Of a rogue state to outright darling of the West
Of a rogue state to outright darling of the West. How can this be explained? There are three main reasons. First - how could it be otherwise - there is oil. Libya produces 1.7 million barrels of oil daily. Nearly 80% of which goes to Europe. Libya is the third most important supplier to Europe, more important than Saudi Arabia. Libya has the largest oil reserves in Africa and the mining is also easy and cheap. Shell and BP closed in the past, each one billion contract with Libya. [6]
Then there is the important Libyan investment. It is about an amount of between 60 and 80 billion U.S. dollars. Western businessmen have flocked to even a small part of that huge amount inside collecting prizes. Some of that capital was invested in the past including newspapers, football teams, banking and textile companies. For example, the investment fund owns 7.5% of the football club Juventus. One of the sons of Qadhafi's put it into the board. [7]
A third reason is the refugee issue. Libya plays almost the gendarme of North Africa and stops with might - and detention centers - the crossing of African refugees to the European continent. With success in recent years the country has managed to flow from their 2,000 kilometers of coastline almost completely stop. [8]
Berlusconi summarized the reasons for Europe's attitude being very together, "less illegal immigrants and more oil." [9] The burlesque prime minister says out loud what other people think about policy but dare not say.
How do we go? Qadhafi seems unwilling to bend. On the other hand, the violence reached a point where the resistance is no longer terugkan. Capitulate would perhaps then a merciless repression result. The rebels have not much to lose. An escalation of violence is certainly not inconceivable.
To extinguish a fire by fire-starters
Libya is not Egypt. There was and is a strong army, which is located between the people and the repression has been inserted after the departure of Mubarak has filled the power vacuum [10].
In Libya, the army is much weaker. The revolt could turn into a civil war and Qadhafi's departure would lead to a complete chaos. But the Libyans will have to decide. In ultra-right circles in the U.S. will now vote for a military intervention. [11] were supposed to prevent the bloodshed. Obviously, certainly not to our oil and other interests there to safeguard ... To extinguish a fire by fire-starters never been a good idea, it's just embarrassing. [12]
Also read
M. Vandepitte, "Egypt after Mubarak. What will happen? " , http://www.dewereldmorgen.be/artikels/2011/02/14/egypte-na-moebarak-hoe- ... .
Endnotes
[1] K. Demuynck, "Cuba late" dissidents "free", http://cubanismo.net/cms/nl/artikels/cuba-laat-dissidenten-vrij .
[2] "Showdown with Gaddafi", Europ Press, February 21, 2011, http://www.presseurop.eu/nl/content/news-brief/510781-krachtmeting-met-khadaffi.
[3] The Standard, February 21, 2011.
[4] De Morgen, February 21, 2011, "Libya's lucrative ties', http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/rizkhan/2011/02/2011222739581186 ... 'Europe's interest in Libya' http://english. aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/2011221163030575441.html, Shashank J., "Libya Unrest: Violence against protesters backfires' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east- 12523007 .
[5] J. Shashank, Art. cit., Rachman G, "A grubby Libyan lesson in realpolitik ', Financial Times, February 22, 2011, p. 11, 'Profile: Libya's Saif al-Islam, http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/20112212175256990.html .
[6] 'Europe's interest in Libya' http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/2011221163030575441.html .
[7] L. Saigol, 'Opaque fund built our portfolios, Financial Times, February 22, 2011, p. 5.
[8] http://www.radio1.be/programmas/nieuwe-feiten/libische-migratiedam .
[9] "Berlusconi da Gheddafi, siglato l'Accordo« sull'immigrazione Uniti "," Corriere della Sera, August 30, 2008, http://www.corriere.it/esteri/08_agosto_30/berlusconi_libia_gheddafi_ben ... .
[10] See M. Vandepitte, "Egypt after Mubarak. What will happen? " http://www.dewereldmorgen.be/artikels/2011/02/14/egypte-na-moebarak-hoe- ... .
[11] For example M. Goldberg, "The Perils of a" No Fly Zone "for Libya," February 21, 2011, http://www.undispatch.com/the-perils-of-a-no-fly-zone- for-Libya .
[12] Read about the excellent book by Jean Bricmont, Humanitarian interventions. Human rights as an excuse for war, Berchem 2008.
http://www.dewereldmorgen.be/artikels/2011/02/22/de-opstand-libi-g-nant-voor-het-westen
The uprising in Libya: an embarrassment to the West
In the riots in Tunisia and Egypt attacked the reluctance of the Western headquarters already. Our political leaders called on Mubarak Ben Ali and to minimize the violence and secretly hoped that the friendly dictators in power would remain.
Libya: between Tunis and Cairo, in times of revolt (ticket: Al Jazeera)
Vain hope, but all in all use of force was not too bad. The moral damage to the West was thus fairly limited.
No sanctions
This time put the security forces in artillery, they merrily shooting with live ammunition and fighter jets have been bombing missions. On February 21 there a few days back at least 300 people dead, possibly more. European leaders are not impressed. They do not go beyond a condemnation of the violence. No sanctions, such as it happened in the past with Iran, or even for example with Cuba is not even similar facts as for picking up 75 government opponents who worked on behalf of the U.S. or through paid. [1]
Foreign Minister Stephen Anackere: "There is still plenty of time to the proper conclusions if further developments move towards the poor." Franco Frattini, Italian Foreign Minister, goes one step further. He "hopes that Qadhafi the situation in his country soon in hand" because according to him, the riots in Libya 'not motivated by the need for freedom as in Tunisia and Egypt, but by the desire for a fundamentalist , to establish Islamic state "and that should not be encouraged. [2]
The weapons are deployed there today come largely from the West
The situation is even more painful when you know that last year Belgium has supported Libya's candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council [3] and that the weapons are deployed there today for the most part come from the West.
FN Herstal in 2009 for 11.5 million euros more weapons and ammunition supplied to the country. In 2009, British military firms cameras, ammunition for sniper rifles delivered to a value exceeding 230 million euros. In 2007 French companies supplied more than 400 million euros on weapons.
General Dynamics in the U.S. for 165 million U.S. dollars of sophisticated communications systems supplied to an elite brigade of the Libyan army. It is this brigade is commanded by a son of Qadhafi, and using that weaponry has been pounding the city Benghazi. [4]
Romance with the devil
It is quite embarrassing when you know that Qadhafi in the eighties and nineties was almost the devil incarnate to the West. Libya was suspected of supporting terrorist groups and to develop WMD. President Reagan called Gaddafi a "mad dog". The capital, Tripoli in 1986 was even bombed by the U.S., where two of Qadhafi's children died.
At that time Saddam Hussein was the great friend of the West because he was useful in the fight against Iran. Libya, however, was a real pariah state, comparing today with North Korea or Iran.
But that was long forgotten and forgiven. 2003, Qadhafi agreed to end its nuclear weapons program to halt and dismantle its ballistic missiles. It was the beginning of a strong romance. He was in Brussels in 2004 with high honors by Guy Verhofstadt. In the White House he described as "a man of personality and experience." Tony Blair called him a "partner in the fight against terrorism" The New York Times described his son, who spoke yesterday threatening language on television, as the Western-friendly face of Libya and the symbol of hope for reform and openness. "[5]
Of a rogue state to outright darling of the West
Of a rogue state to outright darling of the West. How can this be explained? There are three main reasons. First - how could it be otherwise - there is oil. Libya produces 1.7 million barrels of oil daily. Nearly 80% of which goes to Europe. Libya is the third most important supplier to Europe, more important than Saudi Arabia. Libya has the largest oil reserves in Africa and the mining is also easy and cheap. Shell and BP closed in the past, each one billion contract with Libya. [6]
Then there is the important Libyan investment. It is about an amount of between 60 and 80 billion U.S. dollars. Western businessmen have flocked to even a small part of that huge amount inside collecting prizes. Some of that capital was invested in the past including newspapers, football teams, banking and textile companies. For example, the investment fund owns 7.5% of the football club Juventus. One of the sons of Qadhafi's put it into the board. [7]
A third reason is the refugee issue. Libya plays almost the gendarme of North Africa and stops with might - and detention centers - the crossing of African refugees to the European continent. With success in recent years the country has managed to flow from their 2,000 kilometers of coastline almost completely stop. [8]
Berlusconi summarized the reasons for Europe's attitude being very together, "less illegal immigrants and more oil." [9] The burlesque prime minister says out loud what other people think about policy but dare not say.
How do we go? Qadhafi seems unwilling to bend. On the other hand, the violence reached a point where the resistance is no longer terugkan. Capitulate would perhaps then a merciless repression result. The rebels have not much to lose. An escalation of violence is certainly not inconceivable.
To extinguish a fire by fire-starters
Libya is not Egypt. There was and is a strong army, which is located between the people and the repression has been inserted after the departure of Mubarak has filled the power vacuum [10].
In Libya, the army is much weaker. The revolt could turn into a civil war and Qadhafi's departure would lead to a complete chaos. But the Libyans will have to decide. In ultra-right circles in the U.S. will now vote for a military intervention. [11] were supposed to prevent the bloodshed. Obviously, certainly not to our oil and other interests there to safeguard ... To extinguish a fire by fire-starters never been a good idea, it's just embarrassing. [12]
Also read
M. Vandepitte, "Egypt after Mubarak. What will happen? " , http://www.dewereldmorgen.be/artikels/2011/02/14/egypte-na-moebarak-hoe- ... .
Endnotes
[1] K. Demuynck, "Cuba late" dissidents "free", http://cubanismo.net/cms/nl/artikels/cuba-laat-dissidenten-vrij .
[2] "Showdown with Gaddafi", Europ Press, February 21, 2011, http://www.presseurop.eu/nl/content/news-brief/510781-krachtmeting-met-khadaffi.
[3] The Standard, February 21, 2011.
[4] De Morgen, February 21, 2011, "Libya's lucrative ties', http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/rizkhan/2011/02/2011222739581186 ... 'Europe's interest in Libya' http://english. aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/2011221163030575441.html, Shashank J., "Libya Unrest: Violence against protesters backfires' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east- 12523007 .
[5] J. Shashank, Art. cit., Rachman G, "A grubby Libyan lesson in realpolitik ', Financial Times, February 22, 2011, p. 11, 'Profile: Libya's Saif al-Islam, http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/20112212175256990.html .
[6] 'Europe's interest in Libya' http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/2011221163030575441.html .
[7] L. Saigol, 'Opaque fund built our portfolios, Financial Times, February 22, 2011, p. 5.
[8] http://www.radio1.be/programmas/nieuwe-feiten/libische-migratiedam .
[9] "Berlusconi da Gheddafi, siglato l'Accordo« sull'immigrazione Uniti "," Corriere della Sera, August 30, 2008, http://www.corriere.it/esteri/08_agosto_30/berlusconi_libia_gheddafi_ben ... .
[10] See M. Vandepitte, "Egypt after Mubarak. What will happen? " http://www.dewereldmorgen.be/artikels/2011/02/14/egypte-na-moebarak-hoe- ... .
[11] For example M. Goldberg, "The Perils of a" No Fly Zone "for Libya," February 21, 2011, http://www.undispatch.com/the-perils-of-a-no-fly-zone- for-Libya .
[12] Read about the excellent book by Jean Bricmont, Humanitarian interventions. Human rights as an excuse for war, Berchem 2008.
http://www.dewereldmorgen.be/artikels/2011/02/22/de-opstand-libi-g-nant-voor-het-westen