The United States of America is not bombing Libya right now. Bombs are falling nevertheless. But exactly five years ago, the USA was bombing Libya, as I was writing the article that follows (first published in the Daily News, March 24, 2011).
The United States of America is bombing Libya as I write, supposedly for the benefit of Libyans. The USA bombed Iraq and killed or caused the death of over a million Iraqis, supposedly for the benefit of the victims. The USA has maimed, displaced and killed tens of thousands of Afghans (and the killers have been caught salivating over their victims) and hundreds of Pakistanis (supposedly for the benefit of Pakistanis and Afghans). Yes, they say it’s not the USA but a ‘coalition’. Yes, a ‘coalition’ that goes along with the USA, making up numbers, adding colour and legitimacy. Fools few.
This particular offensive purchased legitimacy from the Arab League which sanctioned a no-fly zone over Libya in view of Muammar Gaddafi launching air strikes against armed groups challenging him. The Arab League has since expressed misgivings after the USA and its non-Arab allies (only Qatar and the UAE have expressed support for the military action, the latter a big importer of weapons from the USA) bombed Libya and killed dozens of people. Yes, in order to save people, ie like having sex to ensure virginity.
Very soon Barack Obama will say ‘it is not enough to ensure that nothing but white flies in the no-fly zone’ and press for more. The lexicons pertaining to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan will be dusted and perused by Hillary Clinton and others for terminology and phrase. And the Arab League will contemplate their collective navel once again.
What’s with the Arab League? Surely, these people can’t be ignorant about what Uncle Sam really wants? The answer, ironically, came from Gaddafi himself. At the annual Arab Leaders’ Summit in March 2008, Gaddafi asked, ‘Where is the Arabs’ dignity, their future, their very existence?’ and observed, ‘Everything has disappeared’.
‘Our blood and our language may be one, but there is nothing that can unite us,’ he added and is reported to have mocked a plan by the Arab League to start Arab cooperation on a joint nuclear program thus: ‘How can we do that? We hate each other, we wish ill of each other and our intelligence services conspire against each other. We are our own enemy.’
A friend of mine elaborated in an email: ‘Arab politics is all about hypocrisy. In public they kiss each other and sneer behind closed doors. As you can see, it’s not a well-kept secret. The Arabs could have united to form one great pan Arab Force but one-upmanship saw umpteen attempts and efforts being scuttled. Ghaddafi routinely castigated this hypocrisy at every Arab League meeting telling them what a farce they all are when in actuality one was spying on the other.
He challenged one Arab country to name another with whom they’re friendly - and there were no takers. He said, “in fact we are more friendly with Russia and/or America than with each other”. He also reminded them that when the US raided Iraq, on a pretense and then hanged Hussein, a leader of one of the Arab league countries, none ventured to protest but instead, thanked God it was not one of them. He finally asked them “Who will be next” not even dreaming that he’d be the one!’
The fault is not with the Arabs, though. It is with their ‘leaders’. Qatar is an absolute monarchy. The United Arab Emirates is, well, made up of regions headed by Emirs. These are not democracies. These are the countries that have supported the military action. Then there’s Saudi Arabia, Obama’s key ally in the Middle East and a despotic regime if ever there was one and one which has sent troops to Bahrain to prop a tyrannical monarchy against a people’s uprising.
These leaders are not democratically elected. They are despotic to the core. Barack Obama does not utter the word ‘democracy’ with respect to such regimes. No no-fly-zones in these countries. No sanctions. No arm-twisting. Full support instead.
Gaddafi has promised a long war. The long and short of it, though, is the fact that a revolution needs to happen in the region and not one led by Barack Obama and his pals. There’s a question that should be put to the Arab people: ‘Who do you wish to design your future, Muammar Gaddafi or Barack Obama?’ I am sure that Gaddafi will not get 100 percent backing.
I am pretty sure that Obama will get close to zero. A second question: How do we find out the true sentiments of the Arab people? Here’s the rub: we can’t, because most of the countries we are talking about are not democracies!
Gaddafi’s observations in March 2008 indicated that the Arab League was impotent. Well, someone else from another part of the world has just displayed his manhood.
He’s in fact waving his manhood at the leaders of the Arab League. Have they noticed? I doubt it. I am pretty sure they’ve reverted to their favourite pastime of navel gazing.
Gaddafi is no saint. He’s a man though. That much can be said.
Malinda Seneviratne is a freelance writer who contributes a weekly column titled 'Subterranean Transcripts' to the Daily Mirror. He can be reached at malindasenevi@gmail.com