What now?

(I made the above image to illustrate my thoughts).

I have limited knowledge about modern military actions, I’m more knowledgeable about ancient tactics simply because of my education and career choice. But, I do listen to the news and even I can understand what “collateral damage” is. Facts are these: the peaceful protesters in Libya were happy to march and chant for Qaddafi to leave so that they could have a chance to chose their government and future for themselves. The answer, detentions, abuse, torture, murder, attack by secret police, army, and worse still, hired mercenaries. Libya’s army did not protect them or help them like Egypt’s army helped it’s protesters. To be fair, some defected to the rebel side. So, what choice do peaceful protesters have when they are attacked? They have two choices, be attacked and die, or be attacked and defend themselves! They fought. What did Qaddafi do? He bombed their cities, abducted and abused the people, journalists, and any foreigner not in his employment. The rebels defended themselves as well as they could, but they couldn’t continue to fight against ever greater equipment – guns against tanks and bomber jets are not equal footing. So, they appealed to the World Community to help them. The world responded in words, but appeared to hesitate in actions, while the Libyan rebels were fighting, dying and burying their martyrs, yet they didn’t give up and continued to give their thanks to God. Before the UN would approve any actions by it’s members, it needed the rebels to make a formal appeal, needed to see inhumane activities, get approval from the Arab League, and get a majority vote from it’s members (I paraphrase). As this went on, Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates said this at a congressional hearing, “Let’s just call a spade a spade. A no-fly zone begins with an attack on Libya to destroy the air defenses … and then you can fly planes around the country and not worry about our guys being shot down”.   You can hear for yourself.  All the while, Qaddafi, in every one of his speeches says something different, yet always with vile threats to the people who dared to rebel against him. Threatening to go house-to-house and eliminate every rebel from Libya. The UN got all the elements required to go forward with the no-fly zone action. France pushed forward first, and the other allies joined the campaign, which was successful, including the fact that they bombed supply vehicles and tanks just on the outskirts of Benghazi, where Qaddafi’s men were going to continue bombing and killing the rebels. Unfortunately, it seems some people were killed in the actions. Well, now that the no-fly zone is in place we have a little disagreement going on.  Amr Moussa, speaking for the Arab League, says that they didn’t want people to be killed, just a no-fly zone put in place and people protected. If you ask the people of Benghazi, who truly believed they were not going to live much longer if the no-fly zone wasn’t put in place, what they think of the no-fly zone and what has happened? They are happy. They have a new sense of hope. They no longer feel they will be bombed from the air or shot by tanks and mortars from a distance! Now they feel they have a chance at freedom. I would say to Amr Moussa, don’t the people of Libya deserve a chance at the choices you are now privileged to have? Your country lost a lot of people for their freedom, yet your army stepped in to help you. Libya’s people don’t have their army as allies, so they had to seek them from outside their country, just as Qaddafi has his own personal army. I didn’t read anywhere that Egypt or it’s army offered to help the rebels in Libya? Seems a little hypocritical to me. Just my opinion. I understand the discomfort of having western nations near your borders with their planes and ships, but they have assured the world they are not “colonizing”. It is ridiculous to think they could with the world observing, even if they wanted to. As for Qaddafi, has no one else wondered why we haven’t seen him acting like a rock star on camera while he rants and acts bizarrely? I believe the answer is that he is speaking to the world from one of his many underground bunkers. Sure, he can tell his people to die for him, but you don’t see him on a tank or with a rifle out their fighting those people that want him gone. He says he is prepared for a long war, sure he is, I would be too if all I had to do was sit in a bunker with supplies, air, electricity, water and who knows what else. And, all those “secret cells” he talked about, well, he would know a lot about that since it has come to light that he has his own secret cells triggered to attack people at funerals, how cowardly, and in other places. I always wonder what is the price that a person “sells” their morals and beliefs at? I wish I could ask people that. Back on topic, I don’t foresee a good outcome to this situation. The rebels have the biggest hearts of any group of people I have seen in a long time, they are very brave and full of hope. I wish, I pray, for their success, but I have now seen what Qaddafi is capable of and what he says, which is another reason the rebels are so determined not to let Qaddafi continue because they know he will hunt them and their families down and torture them to death. He has said he will have no mercy and he won’t. But, the rebels won’t stop until they are all dead, and they don’t want outside people on the ground in the form of armies, the outside has promised it won’t set foot on Libyan soil, and will only maintain the no-fly zone and keep Qaddafi from targeting them. That sounds like a long term situation to me, unless there is a miracle. Such as, Egypt offering to help liberate their neighbor!

And, what about Bahrain where their people are being killed? Yemen where many have died? Syria? Lebanon? Saudi Arabia ? Who of the Arab neighbors is going to step up to help the people gain freedom, not help the leaders kill their own people? How many people have to die at the hands of of their own government before their free neighbors will help them?

So, what now?

Music: Thematic

“Freedom” by Akon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sorn-3DHTC8

“The Tea of Freedom” by a group of Benghazi residents http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD5tu5bJWKc

“A Flame for Freedom” by DragonForce http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIyqdvCcnWk

“Freedom and Justice” by A.C.A.B. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVq_ZQGiQx4