The cost of killing Gaddafi

| by Shenali Waduge

(October 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In 2009 Libya was a friend to the US so much so that Libya allowed several US corporate giants to enter & approval was given for training of Libyan security personnel & civilians. These were the civilians that eventually became “rebels” given arms by the West to overthrow Gaddafi in a movement called “liberating Libya”. Arming locals has become a new strategy to avoid deaths to coalition forces while NATO is tasked to take on the indiscriminate air strikes. So what has been the cost for killing a man who has ruled a nation for 42 years without debt to the IMF or the World Bank? It took 8 months for US-NATO to take over Libya, the pro-US Libyan Government may celebrate & rejoice but that celebration is as short-lived as the jubilations in Iraq & Egypt where the people are beginning to realize their country would have still been better off with Saddam Hussein & Hosni Mubarak!

Let all US-NATO nations realize that the people of the world are no fools. Citizens of these nations may be fooled since mainstream media have blinded them with lies &false versions to brainwash them but nemesis for the innocent deaths will follow US-NATO & their leaders for the destruction they are doing to the people, the environment & to nations throughout the past decade.

The world needs to know that Gaddafi gave Libyans. Education in Libya is free to everyone from elementary school right up to university and post-graduate study, at home or abroad, Libyans enjoy free health care, ratio of one doctor per 673 citizens. Libyans are given interest free housing loans, free land for farmers. In 2010, Libya ranked 53rd on the Human Development Index (out of 170 U.N. member states), making it a “high human development” country, electricity is free for all its citizens. if a Libyan buys a car, the government subsidized 50% of the price. price of petrol in Libya is $0.14 per litre. Libya has no external debt and its reserves amount to $150 billion – now frozen globally A mother who gave birth to a child receives US$5,000 40 loaves of bread in Libya costs $ 0.15 25% of Libyans have a university degree, All newlyweds in Libya receive $60,000 Dinar (US$50,000) by the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family. Prior to the international sanction placed on Gaddafi & Libya in the 1980s, it was one of the richest in the world by GDP per capita – with a living standard higher than Japan. It was the richest in Africa before the revolution. Libya is the only country in North Africa where terrorists do not exist. Fundamentalists have no voice whatsoever in Libya. Not a single terror-incident has been recorded in Libya during Gaddafi’s regime. Gaddafi is no saint but the above examples show that the qualities of leadership that made Libya what it was need to be benchmarked against what the US & West have in store for Libya that has been purposely destroyed to advance the agenda of the West.

With the death of Gaddafi the most important question is where are the 50,000 people that Gaddafi is supposed to have killed prior to US-NATO forces attacking Libya? Clearly the “genocide” claim is a lie – a little too late as the objective of killing Gaddafi has been achieved.

The number of civilian casualties as a result of US-NATO airstrikes, rebel attacks & pro-Government forces range between 1000 & 10,000. These remain only “estimates”. Mainstream media has erred in blaming deaths caused by pro-Gaddafi totally ignoring the reality that the majority of deaths would have resulted by the indiscriminate bombing by US-NATO air strikes. NATO cannot deny that it has purposely targeted civilian infrastructure – hospitals (Al-Tajura Hospital & Saladin Hospital in Ain Zara), power generating facilities, water purification systems, tv stations & other communication networks, civilian airports, schools, government buildings & residential complexes. The purpose of such bombings is obviously to destroy the country’s institutions. The UN Human Rights organization or other human rights bodies seem to care little for the realism behind the exercise of freeing Libya & at the fatalities that has been caused by NATO which has no mandate whatsoever to carry out air strikes on Libya. What these international bodies are doing to humanity is a shame & a crime for which all of them must be tried for holding office & remaining silent over crimes taking place under false motives & concocted lies.

Thus the “humanitarian” bombing campaign part of the R2P agenda is part & parcel of a new military strategy carved by the West & a major component of this strategy is to destroy civilian infrastructure. This methodology was applied in Yugoslavia & Iraq where bridges, power plants, water systems, cultural & historical heritages, schools & hospitals were all identified as “legitimate military targets” validated in advance. In Yugoslavia the civilian economy was the target.

The US military intervention in Libya has cost America USD896million. While UK tax payers have to fork out £200m & likely to cost up to £1bn & rising just to kill one man! In all the operation to free Libya of Gaddafi would have cost USD2billion.

The USA is morally and financially broke, uneducated and sick but it is its arrogance that continues to think that all nations must bow down to US dictates. Gaddafi’s Libya will soon find out what it is like to live in a country without Gaddafi’s charisma in a country that is soon likely to be fleeced by the West. Where people will be broke, without money, hungry, paying for all services but reminded all the while that they are “free, liberated & enjoying the fruits of human rights”. In the meanwhile, the US will ensure friction amongst tribes in Libya so that turmoil will prevail just like they are doing in Iraq & Afghanistan while Western oil giants cease the oil, gold & all natural resources that Libya possesses which in reality was the reason for the whole exercise of humanitarian intervention.

It is not difficult to comprehend the trend that is taking place & the dangers of the West’s financial turmoil will mean further “humanitarian” operations on targeted nations & the basis for the next stop being Syria is already under way.

Let all US-NATO nations realize that the people of the world are no fools. Citizens of these nations may be fooled since mainstream media have blinded them with lies & false versions to brainwash them but nemesis for the innocent deaths will follow US-NATO & their leaders for the destruction they are doing to the people, the environment & to nations throughout the past decade.