Lybia: analysis, jokes and answers - part 1/3

OVERVIEW

North Africa, revolutions for democracy: are we at a turning point in modern history or new situations will be dealt with in the same old way – weak justifications to Western population for military intervention, exploitation of resources and regime change for an extention of the capitalistic Empire?

The recent obscure facts in Lybia have occurred during a delicate moment in my personal life, settling in in a new country. Therefore little time was available for my usual readings. Until 3 weeks ago, when I said to myself: STOP! You need to find out more and have an opinion. What did I discover? A lot.

The facts: In February a revolution sparked in Lybia reaching Tripoli within a few days. Fears of country division have been expressed by Gaddafi's son. Gaddafi has threatened to crush the rebels. Within few days a National Transitional Council has been set up as official counterpart to Gaddafi's regime with Gaddafi's former justice minister at its head (and so changing sides). France is the first country to recognizes it. March 17^th UN passes resolution 1973 to use "all means necessary" to protect civilians within Libya and establishes a no-fly zone. 2 days later French, US, UK and Italian troops launch air attacks on Lybian soil.

Joke time! Gadhafi said his people 'love him.' I think that's what he said. It was hard to hear over the rebel gunfire.

My thesis can be summed up in the following lines: people of certain countries strive, demonstrate and fight for better life conditions. Powerful nations (USA and Euro-zone) want to make the most out of it and have a (better) grasp on those resources and markets trying to shape them into their way of life. Different countries have different situations so some might just need some new puppets to rule them because of existing favourable relationships (Egypt, Tunisia...), others, like Lybia, the most interesting and hot case, apparently needed to be military attacked for a number of reasons that we see below. In all this, people know little and can (do) even less.

BACKGROUNDS

Geographical background: Lybia is the 17^th biggest country in the world and the Sahara desert is covering 90% of its extention.

Ethnical background: Lybia has a big extention of land with a small population, 6 million inhabitants. What is happening in Lybia is the crumble of a tribal community who has been in power for 50 years, the Qadhadfa of Gheddafi. There is no monarchy, there is no a united army but many and divided militias, no common culture because of the many tribes living in Lybia, that is why there are fears of divison.

Joke time! Al-Qaida has now launched a woman's magazine that will have everything from fashion to terror advice. Unfortunately, women are not allowed to read it.

Historical background: Maybe not everybody knows that tens of thousands of years ago the Sahara desert was lush with green vegetation. Around 2000 years ago a population of Lybia developed a sophisticated underground irrigation system. Cyrenaica, the eastern zone of Lybia, is so called because ancient Greeks conquered it in 630 BC and called one city Cyrene, becoming one of the greatest intellectual and artistic centers of the Greek world. Over the centuries Egyptians, Carthaginians, Alexander the Great, Romans fought for the control over Lybia. Arab Islamic took control for 1000 years and Ottoman turks with many “coups d'etat” dominated a fragmented Lybian territory. It was not until 1911 with Italian invasion and occupation that the country was unified. The later King Idris led the revolution against Italians, while oil discovery transformed Lybia's economy; England became its biggest weapon supplier and US established a army base. In 1969 an ambiguos Gaddafi made a coup and held power till nowadays.

The Middle East influence: waves of genuine will for democracy erupted in North Africa (Egypt, Tunisia...) before Lybia and somehow triggered it. Why? Lack of human rights and economic injustices. And why now? Globalisation and internet heavily increase knowledge to be spread and therefore changes occur faster. These elements allow more and more people to realize how other populations are living, therefore they no longer accept injustices to be perpetrated and the fight for democracy turned into a domino effect. Not to forget that Mubarak and Ben Ali (respectively Egypt and Tunisia's presidents), in charge for the last 30 years have both been on friendly terms with IMF (International Monetary Fund) therefore stealing money to their countries, countries they were supposed to protect and enhance (obviously).

Joke time! The king of Saudi Arabia announced that he is giving his people $37 billion in subsidies and payments. It's not a stimulus package, it's a 'don't overthrow me' package.

The French involvement: Gheddafi and Sarkozy meet in Paris in 2007 to shake hands on 2 major economic deals: selling fighting airplanes to Lybia and investment in Lybia of nuclear plants. The former never actually taking place, the latter has come to nothing as Italian and Russian suppliers were favoured compared to the French. This information was acquired through a private agency called “Maghreb Confidential”. Easy to guess that civilian suffrances were not at the top of Sarkozy's head when he stamped his feet getting this information. And then the turning point: Nouri Mesmari, a man close to Gheddafi, leaves the country for France in October 2010, reveals all military and economic secrets (being renamed “the Lybian Wikileak”) to Sarkozy . Not difficult to get that Gheddafi wanted Nouri dead and that Nouri would feel safe only if Gheddafi would be eliminated and being now Nouri very close to France...

Joke time! It's one humiliation after another for Moammar Gadhafi. First his own people started rising up against him, then his compound was bombed, and now he's getting beaten up by the French.

The English involvement: Allegedly in early February men of SAS and Delta Force get to Cirenaica to train future rebels. Many more British forces will join straight after the beginning of the revolution, Sunday Mirror confirms. This situation would give a different light to the development of the revolution, setting English behind the scenes.

The Italian involvement: As we saw above, Craxi government saved Gaddafi's life in 1986 by warning him about an American assassination attempt. From then on the bonds between Italy and Lybia have been very tied. Just over 2 years ago (2009) an amity, cooperation and peace treaty has been signed between the 2 countries. Part of the treaty was a 5 billions euros of Italian investments to be given to Lybia as apology to the colonial invasion (while not considering the 3 billion euros seized by Gaddafy when in 1970 sent away empty handed all Italians who had built a life in that country). Politicians and businessmen were all flirty with the dictator who has touched Italian soil just over 6 months ago where he could give a lesson on Islam religion to 300 poorly paid italian girls. Not to forget the atrocities, violences and deaths inflicted on african people trying to reach European soil through Lybia, atrocities triggered by Italy and carried out by Lybia. Imagine the surprise of Gaddafy with a peace treaty in his hands seeing Italian flag airplanes dropping bombs on his house.

Without mentioning of course that Italy has all the interest not to attack a close ally.

Joke time! The Pentagon says that U.S. operations in Libya are limited and have a definite end date. I don't believe that. We still have troops in Italy.

Bonus joke! (of course! Italians tell many jokes …. and Italy is a joke itself) “Italy is a traitor” said Gaddafy, referring to any war of the last century.

The German involvement: Germany did not want to be involved in this war, simple as that!

Joke time! Germany has pulled its forces out of NATO over Libya. When the Germans don't want to fight and the French do, the whole world is upside down.

The USA involvement: in 1986 Ronald Reagan ordered a serie of bombing attacks on Lybia under the name “El Dorado Canyon Operation” as a retaliation for the alleged supporting role of Lybia in a terroristic attack in a disco in Berlin. Thanks to Italy warning Gheddafy, he escaped but his daughter died.

In 2 recent occasions USA had the intention to use a new nuclear weapon on Lybia: the first in 1997 by the Clinton administration 11 days after USA signed the Treaty “African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone”, an idea of the Secretary Assistant of Defense Harold Palmer Smith Junior; the second was incorporated in the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) in 2002 by the Bush administration, a secret politician revision aiming at preparing emergency nuclear attacks against Russia, the axis of evil Iraq, Iran and North Korea, and on China, Lybia and Syria. The weapon in question is B61-11 that can penetrate into the ground. Therefore nuclear attacks on Lybia cannot be utterly excluded.

Joke time! We're now fighting three wars! Imagine how many it would be if President Obama hadn't won the Nobel Peace Prize.