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A No-Fly Zone For The US-Nato Airforce

By Feroze Mithiborwala

22 March, 2011
Countercurrents.org

Make no mistake, Gaddafi is no hero, nor was Saddam for that matter. If it were not for the No-Fly Zones & the US-NATO backed UN sanctions, the Iraqi People would have overthrown Saddam's regime in the early 1990's itself.

In Libya the People made the grave strategic folly of resorting to an armed uprising, thus playing into Gaddafi's hands & in turnopening the door ajar for US-Nato intervention yet again.

But after a series of successful non-violent revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen & Bahrain, the Libyan people should have remained committed both in principle & strategy to a mass democratic non-violent upsurge & that path could have ensured them a momentous chance for genuine freedom & liberation.

The case of Yemen is truly remarkable. Yemen is a poverty stricken nation, a tribal society, awash with weapons. But despite the worst violent provocations by the Saleh dictatorship, ably backed by the Saudi-US alliance, the people refused to take to arms. It was only on the last Friday that more than 50 Yemenis were murdered in broad daylght & were shot dead in cold blood. With every martyrdom, more & more people poured into the streets of Sana & across all of Yemen. Now the cracks have begun to appear within the Yemeni Army & dreaded security apparatus itself. The President should be soon joining Ben Ali & Mubarak in Riyadh.

The Libyan masses, having witnessed the results that were achieved, especially in neighbouring Tunisia & Egypt, should have drawn the right conclusions & strategy accordingly. But clearly the opposition leadership failed to wrest the initiative from Gaddafi & played into his hands when they chose the path of violent resistance.

Unfortunately, the violence that followed soon developed into a civil war, thus openeing the doors for cynical Western manipulation & intervention & for control of Libyan Oil reserves. Now the situation is far too complex.

For all of Obama's utterances, his hypocricy stands exposed in Bahrain & in Yemen. In Bahrain, Saudi troops have invaded the the neighbouring island, whilst in Yemen the US backed dictator has unleashed a wave of terror & violence across the country. Both Obama & Hillary have spoekn out in support of the oppressive & brutal regimes in Yemen & Bahrain.

Even the Arab League stands starkly divided on this issue. The fact that has not been reported is that at the meeting where the Arab League took the decision to support the US initiative on the No-Fly Zone, only 11 of the 22 memeber countries were present. Of the 11, Syria & Algeria opposed the proposition & thus only 9 of the 22 Arab states support the US-Nato initiative.

All the 53 nations of the African Union oppose the Western intervention in Libya, knowing that this precedent can open the doors for further imperial wars.

Now Russia led by Putin as well as China, Iran, Turkey & India are speaking out & cracks are appearing within the EU as well.

Obama truly stands exposed for all his hypocricy, as it was only a few weeks ago that Obama once again bailed out Israel by wielding its veto at the UNSC. The Palestinians had moved a resolution to impose sanctions on Israel as it refused to halt the Settlement programmes in the West Bank & Jersusalem. Also Obama has never spoken out against the Siege of Gaza or the 22-day Israeli war on Gaza in 2008-09.

Obama has also now the dubious distinction of invading another Muslim nation, a sense of deja vu, his very own Bushonian moment.

Obama's regime continues to kill civilians in both Afghanistan & Pakistan on a daily basis & is another US presidential candidate for the War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague.

Actually what we need is a No-Fly Zone for the US-Nato Airforce & their killer drones.

And then yes, a No-Lie Zone as well!

 


 




 


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