- Obama's March 28, 2011 address at the National Defense
University was true to form. It reeked of duplicity, hypocrisy, and ball-faced
lies, saying:
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- "For generations, the United States of America has
played a unique role as an anchor of global security and as an advocate
for human freedom."
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- "....(W)e are reluctant to use force to solve the
world's many challenges."
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- "But when our interests and values are at stake,
we have a responsibility to act. That's what happened in Libya...."
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- For decades, Libya was "ruled by a tyrant....He
has denied his people freedom, exploited their wealth, murdered opponents
at home and abroad, and terrorized people around the world - including
Americans who were killed by Libyan agents."
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- Substitute Washington for Libya and he got it right.
America is a rogue terror state, a menacing plague on humanity.
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- Democratic values, human and civil rights, and rule of
law principles are non-starters.
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- Only corporate and imperial interests matter, not equity,
justice, peace on earth, and government of, by and for the people while
respecting the sovereign rights of other nations.
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- NATO's war on Libya was planned many months in advance
like all wars. Why is most important, or put another way - cui bono?
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- Official accounts and media scoundrels never explain.
Dozens of previous articles discussed relevant issues and answers, including
one summarizing what's most important. More on that below.
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- Historical Facts About Libya
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- Like most parts of Africa for centuries, European colonial
powers ravaged Libya. During the 1911 Turko/Italian war, Libya was invaded
and attacked. Twenty years of resistance challenged Italian colonizers.
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- From 1911 - 1943, Italy's occupation was brutal. Libyans
never forgot. After WW II, America, Britain and France dominated the region.
In 1951, they combined three distinct regions into Libya - Cyrenaica in
the east, Tripolitania in the west, and Fezzan in the south.
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- Britain enthroned King Idriss. He let America, Britain
and France retain military bases and pursue corporate interests. America's
Wheelus Air Base near Tripoli dominated the Mediterranean Basin. Washington
wants one or more super-bases built on Libyan land as launching pads against
the region.
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- In 1955, Libyan oil was discovered. Three colonial powers
controlled it until Gaddafi's bloodless September 1, 1969 coup, ousting
King Idris. It was an anti-imperial socialist revolution. Foreign domination
ended.
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- Gaddafi supported pan-Africanism - a United States of
Africa, free from imperial domination. It was a vision shared by Marcus
Garvey, Kwame Kkrumah, Sekou Toure, Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta, William
Tubman, Gamal Abd Nasser, and others. More on that below.
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- He also wanted Libyans to share in the country's oil
wealth, a notion foreign to America and other Western societies.
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- Under his 1999 Decision No. 111, all Libyans got free
healthcare, education, electricity, water, training, rehabilitation, housing
assistance, disability and old-age benefits, interest-free state loans,
as well as generous subsidies to study abroad, buy a new car, help couples
when they marry, practically free gasoline, and more.
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- Literacy under Gaddafi rose from 20 - 80%. Libya's hospitals
and private clinics were some of the region's best. Now they're in shambles.
Some, in fact, were bombed or damaged in other fighting. NATO lied saying
only military targets were attacked.
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- NATO's imperial strategy involves targeting civilians
and vital infrastructure, including power, communications, medical care
facilities, and other essential to life sites.
-
- Before war began, Libyans had Africa's highest standard
of living. According to David Blundy and Andrew Lycett's book titled, "Qaddafi
and the Libyan Revolution.http://www.amazon.com/Qaddafi-Libyan-Revolution-David-Blundy/dp/0316100420"
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- "The young people are well dressed, well fed and
well educated....Every Libyan gets free, and often excellent, education,
medical and health services. New colleges and hospitals are impressive
by any international standard."
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- "All Libyans have a house or a flat, a car, and
most have televisions" and other conveniences. "Compared with
most citizens of Third World countries, and with many (others), Libyans
have it very good indeed," including decent housing or a rent-free
apartment.
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- Gaddafi's Green Book, in fact, states, "The house
is a basic need of both the individual and the family, therefore it should
not be owned by others." It also covers other beneficial social policies,
saying:
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- "Women, like men, are human beings.
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- ....(A)ll individuals have a natural right to self-expression
by any means....;
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- In a socialist society no person may own a private means
of transportation for the purpose of renting to others, because this represents
controlling the needs of others.
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- The democratic system is a cohesive structure whose foundation
stones are firmly laid above the other (through People's Conferences and
Committees). There is absolutely no conception of democratic society other
than this.
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- No representation of the people - representation is a
falsehood. The existence of parliaments underlies the absence of the people,
for democracy can only exist with the presence of the people and not in
the presence of representatives of the people."
-
- Green Book ideology rejects Western-style democracy and
predatory capitalism, especially neoliberal exploitation. It's one of many
reasons why Gaddafi was ousted.
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- He provided impressive social benefits, including free
land, equipment, livestock and seeds for agriculture to foster self-sufficient
food production. Moreover, all basic food items were subsidized and sold
through a network of "people's shops."
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- Moreover, since the 1960s, women had the right to vote
and participate politically. They can also own and sell property independently
of their husbands. Under the December 1969 Constitutional Proclamation
Clause 5, they have equal status with men, including for education and
employment, even though men play leading roles in society.
-
- Until Washington and NATO blocked its approval, the UN
Human Rights Council Libyan praised Gaddafi in its January 2011 "Report
of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Libya Arab Jamahiriya."
-
- It said his government protected "not only political
rights, but also economic, educational, social and cultural rights."
It also lauded his treatment of religious minorities, and "human rights
training" of its security forces.
-
- In eight months, NATO's killing machine destroyed 42
years of achievements, benefitting all Libyans. Why else would overwhelming
numbers support him?
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- After NATO attacked, hundreds of thousands rallied openly
for him. On July 1, 95% of Tripoli's population (over a million strong)
expressed support in Green Square.
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- Before the war, he felt safe enough to drive unprotected
through Tripoli streets. Residents lined up to cheer him. Some despot!
-
- America and other Western societies should have ones
like him. Imperial wars would end. So would homelessness, hunger and human
depravation. Instead, "new world order" imperialists want super-wealth
and power shared only by their privileged few.
-
- Libya is one of many targets. Others will follow to extinguish
freedom everywhere if they succeed. Universal opposition needs to stop
them. Failure can't be tolerated. The alternative is too grim to imagine.
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- Why Gaddafi Was Targeted
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- Information below was discussed earlier. It bears repeating
now. Gaddafi's vision marked him for removal. It was just a matter of when,
even though he cooperated with Western powers post-9/11 on matters of intelligence
and terrorism.
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- Until vilified and targeted, he was welcomed in Western
capitals. In 2003, he came in from the cold, became a valued Western ally,
and had meetings and discussions with top officials like UK Prime Ministers
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, France's Nicolas Sarkozy, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi,
US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and others.
-
- He also participated in the 2009 G-8 Summit in L-Aquila,
Italy as Chairman of the African Union. At the time, he met and shook hands
with Obama.
-
- Moreover, ABC News interviewed him live, and on January
21, 2009, The New York Times published his op-ed headlined, "The One-State
Solution" to resolve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. He called "living
under one roof....the only option for a lasting peace."
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- On May 16, 2006, Washington restored full diplomatic
relations, removing Libya from its state sponsors of terrorism list. At
the time, Rice called the move:
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- "tangible results that flow from the historic decisions
taken by Libya's leadership in 2003 to renounce terrorism and to abandon
its weapons of mass destruction programs....Libya is an important model
as nations around the world press for changes in behavior by the Iranian
and North Korean regimes."
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- She also praised Gaddafi's "excellent cooperation"
in fighting terrorism. Moreover, he opened Libya's markets to Western interests
by arranging deals with Big Oil giants BP, ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell,
Occidental, France's Total, Italy's Eni Gas and others. By all appearances,
he joined the club, so why turn on him?
-
- Though on board in some ways, he very much wasn't on
others. He supported Palestinian rights, opposed Israel's occupation and
Gaza's siege.
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- Earlier he backed anti-apartheid struggles in South Africa,
as well as others in Northern Ireland, Spain, and elsewhere.
-
- He had nothing to do with downing Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie,
Scotland in 1988. Neither did Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi. Scottish judges
knew he was innocent but were pressured to convict.
-
- Gaddafi never admitted fault. He took responsibility
solely to have international sanctions removed. To this day, he and al-Megrahi
stand falsely accused. Likely CIA /MI6/and/or Mossad involvement is never
mentioned.
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- America tried and failed numerous times to assassinate
him, including Ronald Reagan's 1986 attempt. CIA covert efforts financed
opposition groups. In 1981, they helped establish the National Front for
the Salvation of Libya (NFSL) and its militant wing called the Libyan National
Army based in Egypt near Libya's border.
-
- Along with US and UK Special Forces, it was directly
involved in instigating insurrection last February. It wasn't homegrown.
As in Syria, it was externally generated.
-
- Gaddafi opted out of AFRICOM. It's one of nine global
Pentagon commands to control Africa and the Mediterranean Basin, including
its strategic energy transit routes and choke points, crucial to keep open
for world economies.
-
- All African countries participate except Sudan, Zimbabwe,
Ivory Coast, Eritrea, and Libya until now. He also backed an initiative
to create a United States of Africa, whereas Washington wants easily exploitable
divisions. More on that below.
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- Besides ranked ninth in the world with 42 billion proved
barrels of oil reserves (and large amounts of gas), its untapped potential
is believed much greater. Moreover, being nearly sulfur-free, it's even
more valued for its extremely high quality. At issue isn't access, it's
control over who develops, produces and receives it in what amounts.
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- In January 2009, Gaddafi wanted to nationalize Libyan
oil, but his timetable faced internal resistance. According to Pravda.ru's
March 25, 2011 article titled, "Reason for war? Gaddafi wanted to
nationalise oil," he considered the option because of low oil prices
at the time, saying:
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- "The oil-exporting countries should opt for nationalisation
because of the rapid fall in oil prices. We must put the issue on the table
and discuss it seriously. Oil should be owned by the State at this time,
so we could better control prices by the increase or decrease in production."
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- In February 2009, he asked for public support to distribute
Libya's oil wealth directly to the people. However, senior officials feared
losing their jobs "due to a parallel plan by Gaddafi to rid the state
of corruption." Possible capital flight was also an issue.
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- As a result, Libya's Popular Committee voted 468 - 64
to delay nationalization plans, even though a 251 majority viewed doing
so as positive.
-
- Note: Gaddafi didn't consider how powerful insiders manipulate
all markets up or down for profit, including oil, irrespective of demand.
It's brazen fraud but goes on all the time, especially on Wall Street in
collusion with Washington.
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- Libya's Great Man-Made River (GMMR) was developing an
ocean-sized aquifer beneath the desert for irrigation, human consumption,
and other uses. At 2007 consumption rates, it could last 1,000 years. No
wonder Gaddafi calls his Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) the "Eighth
Wonder of the World."
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- At issue, of course, is privatizing it, making water
unaffordable for many, including most Libyans. In other words, Western
predators want it exploited for maximum profits, not equitable use as a
public resource.
-
- Ellen Brown's April 13 article titled, "Libya: All
About Oil, or All About Banking?" raised another, easily overlooked,
issue. Who controls Libya's money, the lifeblood of every economy? In 1970,
Henry Kissinger said, "Control oil and you control nations. Control
food and you control people." He left out money, the supreme power
to control everything because without it economies collapse.
-
- At issue is public or private control like most nations,
including America under Wall Street's owned and operated Federal Reserve.
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- Under Gaddafi, the Central Bank of Libya was state owned.
In other words, it created its own money, the Libyan Dinar, interest free
to be used productively for economic growth, not speculation, profits and
bonuses for predatory bankers.
-
- However, after Washington's led NATO intervention, the
privately controlled Central Bank of Benghazi was established to let Western
bankers, not Libyans, run things. Money control indeed appears an important
reason for intervening, perhaps most important of all.
-
- On April 24, Manlio Dinucci's Global Research article
headlined, "Financial Heist of the Century: Confiscating Libya's Sovereign
Wealth Funds (SWF)," saying:
-
- Besides money, oil, gas, water, and other reasons, the
"Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) manages" an estimated $70
billion, "rising to more than $150 billion (including) foreign investments
of the Central Bank and other bodies. But it might be more."
-
- Confiscation gives US/NATO interests easy money for their
own purposes. In fact, besides war, the business of America is grand theft
in league with Western partners, Wall Street and other corporate interests.
-
- Gaddafi promoted pan-African unity, a United States of
Africa he hoped to lead against Western powers wanting balkanized easily-controlled
states.
-
- Libya was central to Africa's independence, including
freedom from predatory central banks and international lending agencies,
acting as loan sharks of last resort.
-
- He also funded Africa's only communications satellite.
In doing so, he saved hundreds of millions of dollars for low-cost incoming
and outgoing calls.
-
- In addition, he allocated two-thirds of the $42 billion
needed to launch a public African Central Bank (HQ'd in Nigeria), an African
Monetary Fund based in Cameroon, and an African Investment Bank HQ'd in
Libya.
-
- The Obama administration stole the money and prevented
it. If established, it would have provided low-cost (or perhaps interest-free)
loans for health, education, and other social projects, as well as vital
infrastructure development in participating African states.
-
- Washington and NATO partners destroyed his vision to
rape Libya for profit and exploit its people. That imperialism's core element.
Gaddafi wanted none of it. As a result, he had to go.
-
- He advocated a new "Gold Standard," replacing
dollars with gold dinars. African and Muslim states supported it to provide
real monetary wealth and value, free from predatory lending agencies and
depreciating fiat currencies.
-
- Washington determined to prevent it to maintain petrodollar
recycling and dollar hegemony as the world's reserve currency.
-
- In 1977, Gaddafi transformed the Libyan Republic into
the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya - a "state of the masses."
In 1979, he established direct participatory democracy, devolving power
to tribal leaders. In 1986, Libya became the Great Socialist People's Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya.
-
- A revolutionary leader, Gaddafi was a visionary. He wanted
Libya's society based on equity, justice and fair distribution of wealth.
Nasser said he represented Arab nationalism and unity.
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- His faults aside, Libyans supported him overwhelmingly.
They still do. His spirit drives their revolutionary struggle for freedom.
They won't quit until it's achieved.
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- Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
-
- Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and
listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive
Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central
time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy
listening.
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- http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
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