From the Gulf War to the War on North Africa

[P F Tinmore]

Understanding who the winners are is necessary if one is to be able to decipher what they do and why. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that a new type of language has been adopted where war is peace, freedom is slavery, lies are truth, and ignorance is strength: we already know this as Orwell Speak. Our job is to pierce the intentional propagandistic obfuscations and expose the truth for those less aware of the modus operandus of the crafters of this new international order.

Nowhere should McGovern's testimony be weighed more than in the context of the US-led "Global War on Terror," the more recent "revolutions" of North Africa and West Asia, and more specifically for this paper, events unfolding in Libya.

The reason Muammar Qaddafi is a target is because he has been a thorn in the side of anti-revolutionary forces since he took power in Libya, overthrowing the King and nationalizing the oil industry so that the people could benefit from their oil resources.

Libya's Revolution brought free health care and education to the people and subsidized housing. In fact, students in Libya can study there or abroad and the government gives them a monthly stipend while they are in school and they pay no tuition. If a Libyan needs a surgery that must be done overseas, then the government will pay for that surgery. That is more than the soldiers of the United States military can say. While Libyans enjoy subsidized housing, members of the U.S. military risk foreclosure while they serve their country abroad. Money from oil is directly deposited into the accounts of every Libyan based on oil income. As one Libyan told me recently, the idea is that if people have what they need, then they don't have to deny rights to or harm others and the Revolution believes that it is the responsibility of the government to provide the basic needs of its citizens.

From the Gulf War to the War on North Africa: On the True Meaning of Democracy by Cynthia McKinney | Global Empire |Axisoflogic.com

 

[LAfrique]

The absurd assault on Libya and Gaddafi (and sadly sanctioned by dim-witted African leaders) is nothing but the display of hatred for assertive and independent individuals. As you already mentioned, colonel Gaddafi, despite his shortfalls, brought various levels of freedom to the people of Libya: Unlike most Arab nations, women in Libya are free to attain any level of education and serve in public offices.

Remember at one point, the bodyguards of colonel Gaddafi were mostly females! I am sorry to see the unjust attack on Libya and Gaddafi and wish none of it had happened. One does not have to be a rocket-scientist to figure Gaddafi is being attacked for being one of very few African leaders who would not kiss the behinds of our imperialists and for daring to manage his national affairs!

How ironic that we tout our horns about democracy and, yet, resent people for being assertive, independent and opinionated! Tsk, tsk, tsk!

 

[waltky]

Rape as a weapon of war...

Psychologist: Proof of hundreds of rape cases during Libya's war
May 23, 2011 - Psychologist Siham Sergewa has shared her research with the International Criminal Court; So far the only alleged rape victim from Libya conflict to go public is Eman al-Obeidy; Sergewa: Rape in Libyan society is seen as a permanent stain on a family's reputation

In the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, Libya the whispers and rumors about rape being used as a tool of war by Moammar Gadhafi's troops are coming from all corners of society, from rebel fighters to doctors and citizens, who have come in contact with families displaced by the conflict. Now a Libyan psychologist has come forward saying she has case study after case study that proves these rumors and whispers are true. Psychologist Siham Sergewa has a number of distressing images which she says demonstrates the abuse of alleged victims -- one appears to show a cigarette burn on a woman's breast, another a faded bite mark, while several others show the deep purple hue of nasty bruises.

Sergewa first heard reports of rape from the mother of a patient who called her from the Ajdabiya - a town that was caught in a deadly tug of war on Libya's front line war. "She was crying and very distressed and she said to me that she had been raped. She was saying lots of women are raped and they wanted to call you," Sergewa said. The woman then claimed lots of women had been raped and wanted to call Sergewa. More phone calls from other women followed and Sergewa decided she had to do something.

She traveled to refugee camps on the Libyan border with Tunisia and Egypt where thousands of people were seeking refuge from the devastating conflict. With the help of volunteers she began a mental health survey in an effort to identify those needing help. The questionnaire that was distributed sought all sorts of information such as the names and ages of the respondents and asked whether they were getting enough food. One of the last questions asked whether they had been raped and by whom.

Sergewa says that of the 50,000 questionnaires she got back from men and women, 295 women admitted they had been raped, and all blamed Gadhafi's soldiers. She said one woman told her "they tie up my husband, they rape me in front of my husband and then they kill my husband," while others wrote their feelings or detail of what happened on the back of the questionnaire in Arabic. One read: "Forget what is happening to me. The only way is by killing myself. I am so sad."

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