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14Jul11
Nato and Libya
On July 10, France seemingly allied itself with Russia and China in calling on Nato to immediately stop its counterproductive and counterintuitive bombing, as more countries witness public demonstrations against Nato’s actions in Libya. French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet said in Paris that military action in Libya must end and Colonel Qaddafi be welcomed around the negotiating table. Continual bombing of the country is not working, and diplomacy is the only solution – even if Qaddafi retains limited power. In an apparent U-turn in policy, Mr Longuet said Qaddafi could remain in Libya ‘in another room of the palace, with another title.’
Nato and the Obama administration can have no part of a dialogue because they will be the major losers if peace comes to Libya without Qaddafi leaving power.
The US State Department also issued a statement insisting that “the United States will continue efforts as part of a Nato coalition to enforce a UN Security Council-authorised no-fly zone in Libya designed to protect civilians under threat of attack, the State Department said. The spokesman did not mention that the no-fly zone was achieved back in March in 48 hours and that no Libya aircraft have flown since. Mission accomplished 100 days ago.
Since the beginning of the Nato operation, March 31, the alliance has conducted nearly 15,000 sorties, including close to 6000 bombing missions according to Nato’s media office in Naples.
The Russian and Chinese leadership has grown increasingly critical of Nato’s actions in Libya and are demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Some cynics here are pointing out that these countries, unlike Nato, knows exactly what they are doing and it includes the realisation that they have an excellent chance to obtaining many billions of dollars in lucrative contracts. It is partly this realisation that it’s “all of nothing” that keeps the US and its potent military asset, Nato, focused on assassinating Col Qaddafi and breaking his civilian support base. If Qaddafi lives, Nato loses and so do the current major oil industry contractors who are reportedly becoming depressed seeing reports of all the Russian and Chinese businessmen arriving in Libya.
On July 9, 2011, Nato claimed its aircraft carried out another “precision strike” on a pro-Qaddafi missile firing position near Tawurgha, south of Misrata. The next morning, local inhabitants denied that the farm had any military activity on the property and an examination of the farm buildings failed to discovery any.
Nato is getting hammered by critics, especially by reporters from such groups as Jane’s Defence Weekly who know a thing or two about weapons and war. Last week Jane’s ridiculed the Nato commander who claimed that seeing satellite dishes on roofs were evidence of a particular site being a “command and control centre.” Jane’s found that assertion silly.
As international pressure builds on the White House to call off the Nato bombing campaign, several proposals are being discussed within the African Union, the Russian and Chinese Embassy’s, and even between the “Nato rebels” and representatives of the Libya government in Tripoli.
One possible scenario might be for Libya to offer Obama and Nato a fig leaf which would include Colonel Qaddafi “retiring to his tent to write and reflect” while dialogue takes place among the Libyan people, including the tribes and 600 plus Peoples Congresses which of course should have been allowed to take place as Congressman Dennis Kucinich and others insisted back in February, 2011 before Nato invaded.
[Source: By Franklin Lamb, Counterpunch by International The News, Pak, 14Jul11]
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