Very Important questions, whose answers are yet to be seen, not just from the US but depending on the new shape the Middle-East will take. Personally, I think the U.S. will be between a rock and a hard place. If freedom and democracy flourishes in the M.E., so will human rights, including the Palestinian human rights. How will the U.S. support freedom and human rights in one Arab country without the other in a post-democratic M.E.?
I hope that our entry into this conflict is well thought out and followed through with. President Obama and his advisors, as well as the UN, are on trecherous ground. The reasons for entering Libya are justified; strategic interests and humanitarian interests are well worth the risk, and the mobilization of the rebels within their borders make the timing right. I do worry that we delayed a bit too long and the rebels have lost some ground, but there is still the potential to bringing real change to Libyian leadership. One big question is if Qaddafi falls who will step in? The other risk is if we need to be in Libya, where next? And if we enter other Islamic nations will the West be seen as recreating the Holy Crusades of centuries ago; trying to crush the Islamic faith?
Octavia, It is a pleasure for me, to see you in Video on the Internet. I have followed you nearly 20 years for your news journalist professionalism. You have an excellent tempered speaking voice.
Your asking the Prima Facie question of current middle east events. Why has this come to be?
Being a referee of people with arms, killing one another, serves no one. "" in the battle"" . True, a pretext of saving lives is offered as why intervention is needed, but it is not a true motive or altruism reasoning. History has shown, intervention, is always self serving, " economic importance, governance siding, and security of other nations" whether, dictator, or elected democracy. Power , control and economic benefit, are always the bottom line.
Some Nations are offering reasonings : Such as here: Reason for war? Gaddafi wanted to nationalise oil http://goo.gl/8bGaI Such as here: http://goo.gl/UnryS Such as here: http://goo.gl/kQ92p One more here for debate: Libya. The Observer debate: Is it right to be intervening in Libya's struggle for freedom? http://goo.gl/BZIuz
However you read these self serving articles, " things have gotten way out of hand, for a few thousand or more Libyans near Tunisia:
As a Canadian, i am going to the Polls in May 2 to vote for a elected government in Canada. i am upset that the Conservative leader has " or is alleged " by Duceppe continues to claim Harper lied. http://goo.gl/rCPAK Canada's good name is used by the French and Americans, to protract the conflict against Libya, I say Libya, even if the cellphone numbers of the rebels are not known, " or their qualifications for running a country" Government falls, Nato names Canadian head of Libya operation http://goo.gl/UHyun ..
i have read tweets, of woman in the USA, and Bahrain, calling Gaddafi, a killer, "could be" the woman on twitter are showing screaming distress emotions, yet they are citizens of other countries. In Canada this winter, we had a snow storm in Vancouver, that was quite bad, a lot of new Canadians, smashed up their new cars, almost over 2,000 accidents in 24 hours. Many people were killed, woman and children " same head line, different place and time " Also, we have street gangs, shooting each other in Emergency hospital wards along with human trafficking in woman for prostitution. Every one in Government is quite busy, trying to keep Canada a wonderful place to live and have family.
One day i would like to go to Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. " however, current events, preclude me from doing this, in the near future, and perhaps five or more years from now "
It is a shame that our social accountability and responsibility to one another has sunken to this low.
Thank you for a blog spot, to comment, rant, and discuss is a part of good human discourse. Your a very fine video presenter Octavia, looking forward to your further posts, and videos. Ralph T. Gerwing Vancouver Metro Canada
Hi again Octavia, if you permit me to respond to Ed Bunch on your comment post.
Ed, my friend, not at all, in fact, this is a golden opportunity for the west in general and the US in particular to improve its image after the Bush fiasco in Irak. The US (in my humble opinion) should go in after the dust settles to assist these democracy-emerging countries and help them to re-establish themselves after being cut off from the world for so long (I mean Libya here not Egypt). As a matter fact, this could be good news for you Ed: many Arabs over the past 4-5 decades fled these regimes to the US and Europe. A prosperous, free, democratic and economically independent middle-east where the rule of law is above all could very well see a return of these immigrants. Their countries need them and what they learned in the west in the practice of law, business and elected governance. Not to mention the billions of tax-dollars in US-Aid your government will be saving, if these countries get back on their feet again.
If the US acts with honesty and good-will this time, keeping Halliburton and Blackwater at bay, it has all our support. During the Bush era, the US had lost its credibility as a peace mediator in the Middle-East. I view this as a golden opportunity for the US to regain its image and trust among Arab public opinion.
George W failed because he cast aside the American values and principles mentioned in your “declaration of independence”. Bring those values back and you are most welcome. That is the “Change” Obama promised.
I believe the US had to do the "dirty job" by itself instead of supplying arms to the opposition, just in case they have their own agenda and will be uncontrollable in the future. In a way, make Kaddafi weak and keep the opposition with limited supplies and dreams.
you are right that there is no easy answer to the questions you raised. So far Libya is a special case where a regime turned its military might against its own people. Intervention by the international community is a must, a lesson that the USA appears to have learned. As other countries go through their way of achieving reform and it differs from one to the other in terms of how the regime reacts from 1 fatality in Jordan to hundreds in Yemen over the last few months. The international community should look beyond the now and formulate a position of how to handle the aftermath especially in Libya where no solid government structure exists. Yes, intervention in Libya is justified but the lessons of Iraq should be learned how do we react after the military action ends
Very Important questions, whose answers are yet to be seen, not just from the US but depending on the new shape the Middle-East will take.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the U.S. will be between a rock and a hard place. If freedom and democracy flourishes in the M.E., so will human rights, including the Palestinian human rights. How will the U.S. support freedom and human rights in one Arab country without the other in a post-democratic M.E.?
FBerjaoui
I hope that our entry into this conflict is well thought out and followed through with. President Obama and his advisors, as well as the UN, are on trecherous ground. The reasons for entering Libya are justified; strategic interests and humanitarian interests are well worth the risk, and the mobilization of the rebels within their borders make the timing right. I do worry that we delayed a bit too long and the rebels have lost some ground, but there is still the potential to bringing real change to Libyian leadership. One big question is if Qaddafi falls who will step in?
ReplyDeleteThe other risk is if we need to be in Libya, where next? And if we enter other Islamic nations will the West be seen as recreating the Holy Crusades of centuries ago; trying to crush the Islamic faith?
Octavia, It is a pleasure for me, to see you in Video on the Internet. I have followed you nearly 20 years for your news journalist professionalism. You have an excellent tempered speaking voice.
ReplyDeleteYour asking the Prima Facie question of current middle east events. Why has this come to be?
Being a referee of people with arms, killing one another, serves no one. "" in the battle"" . True, a pretext of saving lives is offered as why intervention is needed, but it is not a true motive or altruism reasoning. History has shown, intervention, is always self serving, " economic importance, governance siding, and security of other nations" whether, dictator, or elected democracy. Power , control and economic benefit, are always the bottom line.
Some Nations are offering reasonings : Such as here: Reason for war? Gaddafi wanted to nationalise oil http://goo.gl/8bGaI Such as here: http://goo.gl/UnryS
Such as here: http://goo.gl/kQ92p One more here for debate: Libya. The Observer debate: Is it right to be intervening in Libya's struggle for freedom? http://goo.gl/BZIuz
However you read these self serving articles, " things have gotten way out of hand, for a few thousand or more Libyans near Tunisia:
As a Canadian, i am going to the Polls in May 2 to vote for a elected government in Canada. i am upset that the Conservative leader has " or is alleged " by Duceppe continues to claim Harper lied. http://goo.gl/rCPAK Canada's good name is used by the French and Americans, to protract the conflict against Libya, I say Libya, even if the cellphone numbers of the rebels are not known, " or their qualifications for running a country" Government falls, Nato names Canadian head of Libya operation http://goo.gl/UHyun ..
i have read tweets, of woman in the USA, and Bahrain, calling Gaddafi, a killer, "could be" the woman on twitter are showing screaming distress emotions, yet they are citizens of other countries. In Canada this winter, we had a snow storm in Vancouver, that was quite bad, a lot of new Canadians, smashed up their new cars, almost over 2,000 accidents in 24 hours. Many people were killed, woman and children " same head line, different place and time " Also, we have street gangs, shooting each other in Emergency hospital wards along with human trafficking in woman for prostitution. Every one in Government is quite busy, trying to keep Canada a wonderful place to live and have family.
One day i would like to go to Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. " however, current events, preclude me from doing this, in the near future, and perhaps five or more years from now "
It is a shame that our social accountability and responsibility to one another has sunken to this low.
Thank you for a blog spot, to comment, rant, and discuss is a part of good human discourse. Your a very fine video presenter Octavia, looking forward to your further posts, and videos. Ralph T. Gerwing Vancouver Metro Canada
Hi again Octavia, if you permit me to respond to Ed Bunch on your comment post.
ReplyDeleteEd, my friend, not at all, in fact, this is a golden opportunity for the west in general and the US in particular to improve its image after the Bush fiasco in Irak. The US (in my humble opinion) should go in after the dust settles to assist these democracy-emerging countries and help them to re-establish themselves after being cut off from the world for so long (I mean Libya here not Egypt).
As a matter fact, this could be good news for you Ed: many Arabs over the past 4-5 decades fled these regimes to the US and Europe. A prosperous, free, democratic and economically independent middle-east where the rule of law is above all could very well see a return of these immigrants. Their countries need them and what they learned in the west in the practice of law, business and elected governance. Not to mention the billions of tax-dollars in US-Aid your government will be saving, if these countries get back on their feet again.
If the US acts with honesty and good-will this time, keeping Halliburton and Blackwater at bay, it has all our support. During the Bush era, the US had lost its credibility as a peace mediator in the Middle-East. I view this as a golden opportunity for the US to regain its image and trust among Arab public opinion.
George W failed because he cast aside the American values and principles mentioned in your “declaration of independence”. Bring those values back and you are most welcome. That is the “Change” Obama promised.
FBerjaoui
I believe the US had to do the "dirty job" by itself instead of supplying arms to the opposition, just in case they have their own agenda and will be uncontrollable in the future. In a way, make Kaddafi weak and keep the opposition with limited supplies and dreams.
ReplyDeleteyou are right that there is no easy answer to the questions you raised. So far Libya is a special case where a regime turned its military might against its own people. Intervention by the international community is a must, a lesson that the USA appears to have learned. As other countries go through their way of achieving reform and it differs from one to the other in terms of how the regime reacts from 1 fatality in Jordan to hundreds in Yemen over the last few months. The international community should look beyond the now and formulate a position of how to handle the aftermath especially in Libya where no solid government structure exists.
ReplyDeleteYes, intervention in Libya is justified but the lessons of Iraq should be learned how do we react after the military action ends