Operation Libya

27 March 

        The current geo-political underpinnings of a few potently controlling Western nations on the vast North African nation of Libya are worth pondering. Extremely fresh history informed that a collective of North Africans are simply drained of decade long dictatorship regimes. Former Egyptian and Tunisian Presidents, Hosni Mubarak and Ben Ali experienced the harsh impact of the injustice they continuously deemed on their civilians. With Col Gadafi, things are quite different.
        On March 19, dominating Western powerhouses including France, the U.S., England, and Italy reformed their “international coalition” against Libya, in the name of “preparations to enforce the no-fly zone voted by the United Nations Security Council.” In no way, do I consciously intend to support the appalling 42 year regime of Gadafi. The dominant figure has physically and emotionally voiced Libyans and other Africans for far too many years. The deplorable and merciless act of firing on active and subtle protestors clearly exemplifies the despot’s barbarianism. Should the previously mentioned “International World Police” intervene to “save” scores of innocent Libyans from exercising their shear human rights? A contentious and unsettling discourse that remains warped in the political and humanitarian ideology of many. Instead of treading those waters, proposing some political irony related to the situation may be valuable.
        David Mafabi, a deeply opinionated Ugandan writer, raised various imperative and pertinent concerns regarding the West’s decision to intervene. Oil. Mafabi explicitly connects the “international military” action to Libya’s oil reserves. “Libya is among the world’s largest oil economies with approximately 3.5% of global oil reserves, more than twice those of the U.S. And with 46.5 billion barrels of proven reserves, Libya is the largest oil economy on the African continent.” Do we find ironic parallels between the intervening nations and their economic investment in Libyan oil? “Foreign oil companies operating prior to the insurrection in Libya include France’s Total, Italy’s ENI, British Petroleum, ExxonMobil, and Chevron.”
        I habitually wonder how these materially resource-grubbing dominators incessantly justify such blatant acts of human destruction and terror, and for what costs? To simply maintain control of bloody oil? Col Gaddafi’s domineering style and acts towards the civilians justify the moral, economic and political intervening actions of the West. Does a “humanitarian invasion” in Libya serve similar corporate interests as the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq? Is the underlying objective of this mission to grab possession of Libya’s oil and so smoothly transfer it to foreign hands?
        The striking irony only augments if we minimally deconstruct Western historical and contemporary international intervention. The current politically violent turmoil in the small West African nation of the Ivory Coast has killed hundreds and forced another million folks to flee the country. “Incumbent” President Gbago and his faithful supporters will not only refuse to accept defeat, but are subsequently taking up arms which threatens a return to civil war. Alassane Ouattara, U.N. and Western world’s recognized winner of the November elections, is presently holed up in some swanky hotel in Abidjan; his life guarded by a heavy U.N. crew. The crimes against humanity are frighteningly similar between the Ivory Coast and Libya, with one stark difference. No Western intervention or even direct attention in West Africa. Comparable humanitarian crises in two unstable African countries, with two incomparable resources; no oil in Cote d’Ivoire constitutes no Western intervention. The Ivory Coast is one of the world’s largest cocoa producers. Perhaps Nestle Chocolate bars are not crucial enough intervening incentives to “save” millions from the harrowing effects of displacement and war.
        Rwanda 1994 – One million dead in 100 days. No oil or significantly effective resources for Western intervention in the tiny landlocked African nation. Where is the dominant intervention in the existing catastrophes in Zimbabwe and Bahrain? The examples are practically uncountable. Are we merely a collective span of contempt civilians that continue to be manipulated, hoodwinked and bamboozled by superficial, inauthentic and inhumane government and corporate regimes? Are we subconsciously led through the confines of life by a deceitful and sketchy institutional, international conglomerate of leaders whose cracking is impracticable? Does expelling my energy on these pertinent humanitarian issues benefit myself or anyone? I smile and wonder…