*Obama caught in his own trap
As international criticism mounts and total disapproval of the US-led attacks on Libya increase in almost all regions of the world, with many world leaders putting to shame the role of the so-called coalition forces in the destruction of Col Gaddafi’s country, the United States is desperately trying to save its face – and in the process, telling more lies to the world – lies that have only gone further to pin Barack Obama down into his own trap.
The first lie President Obama told the world came on Monday as he addressed his nation. He said NATO is taking over command from the US in Libya and that US action is limited to defending civilians who are under attack by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.
But the fact is that transferring command to NATO makes no difference. NATO is dominated militarily and politically by the US, thus, the US still commands the destruction of Libya and is still involved in killing civilians with the missiles that are being dropped over the country. America, historically has never allowed its forces to operate in a foreign land under a foreign command – and this will not happen in Libya.
America’s command in Libya will continue because it possesses by far a military capability that none of its friends in NATO has – this includes a range of attack aircraft, refueling tankers that can keep aircraft airborne for long periods, surveillance aircraft that can detect everything – planes loaded with electronic gear that can gather intelligence or jam enemy communications and radars.
It should be pointed out here that the United States alone supplies 22 percent of NATO’s budget – an amount that almost equals contributions from Britain and France – combined. A Canadian general was chosen to be in charge of all NATO operations in Libya. His boss, the commander of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Naples, is an American admiral, and the admiral’s boss is the supreme allied commander Europe, a post always held by an American. So, the US still runs the show in Libya.
The Libyan criminals and sell-outs that pass for rebels are rapidly advancing towards Tripoli – and this clearly shows that these criminals are not just benefiting from a huge military aid provided by the American, British, and French armies, but also that the US and its friends are out to coordinate the ousting of Col Gaddafi by illegitimate use of force.
But one major lie which America continues to tell the world in order to justify its invasion of Libya is that which has to do with “saving civilians” who are said to be facing an onslaught from Gaddafi’s forces. Obama reiterated this lie in his address to the nation: “Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different. And as president, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action,” he said.
Today, any person closely monitoring the situation in Libya will see that this is a big lie. The US, Britain, and France have overstepped their boundaries and have gone far beyond the 1973 UN resolution which they hang on to justify their destructive military invasion of this North African nation. The scope of the mission is expanding and the end game remains largely unclear.
Despite claims that the operation is only to protect civilians, the airstrikes now are helping the rebels to advance – and US officials agree that the effect of air attacks on Gadhafi’s forces — and on the supply and communications links that support them — is useful if not crucial to the rebels.
Besides, hundreds of civilians have been killed and millions forced to flee mass violence in other parts of the world without any US military intervention anticipated. The Ivory Coast in West Africa is a glaring example. The UN reports that 1 million people have fled into neighboring countries while close to 500 have been killed as forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo – who refuses to step down after losing last November Presidential elections run-off – continue to use heavy weapons against the population with particular targets on civilians who support the internationally recognized president, Alassane Ouattara. It is a shame on the US government which says Gbagbo and Gadhafi have both lost their legitimacy to rule. But only one is under attack from the US.
As Obama is caught in his own words, one can only make a flashback and reflects on how lies are shamelessly told to the public for personal interests. In his book, “The Audacity of Hope,” published shortly before elections, Barack Obama declared that the US will lack international legitimacy if it intervenes militarily “without a well-articulated strategy that the public supports and the world understands.”
He even questioned: “Why invade Iraq and not North Korea or Burma? Why intervene in Bosnia and not Darfur?”
Now, such questions are coming at him.
And we can also ask Obama: Why invade Libya and not Bahrain? Why invade Libya and not Ivory Coast?
Generations to come will hold America hostage for the blood of all innocent people killed in various parts of the world, including Libya. But it is not too late to stop the killings and destruction in Libya. Bombing Libya was not a last resort in solving the situation – there was Dialogue.