LESSONS OF LIBYA FOR THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT
WKOG Editor: The following article references Naomi Klein’s excellent book, The Shock Doctrine. It is important to note that in 2011, Klein, made the decision to join the corporate NGO 350.org/1Sky. (Financed /partnered with the Rockefeller and Clinton wealth). Most recently, Klein endorsed a pro-war MP in Canada. Also recent is the pro-Obama NGO, MoveOn.org (founder of Avaaz) promoting Klein on their website to advance their own agenda. Perhaps Teju Cole sums up such perplexities best: “I deeply respect American sentimentality, the way one respects a wounded hippo. You must keep an eye on it, for you know it is deadly.”
“So this has to be our focus if we are to build a meaningful, broad based unity against imperialist war. To quote Huey Newton, the founder of the Black Panther Party: “there can be no real freedom until the imperialist – world-enemy-number-one – has been stripped of his power”.
We should be clear that our loyalties are with the anti-imperialist world; our loyalties are with the Global South; and we stand united against that world-enemy-number-one of imperialism.”
April 4, 2012
There is currently a very serious threat of war against Iran and Syria. Algeria, Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe and elsewhere are also on the ‘hit list’. The key issue for the anti-war movement in the west is, obviously, what can we do to prevent wars of imperialist aggression taking place?
The following article is based on a speech I gave at Brunel University at the invitation of the Brunel Socialist and Progressive Society.
With that question in mind, we need to review the recent history of an African nation that goes by the name of Libya – until quite recently known as the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. In March last year, the United Nations Security Council established a “no fly zone” – which it turns out is ruling class slang for “brutal war of aggression” – ostensibly to prevent the Libyan government from killing unarmed protestors. A year later, I believe it is fair to say that the results of that war have been nothing short of tragic. →