TheConsequencesoftheSixMonthG7NATO AggressionagainstLibya

TheRightWingHarperConservativeGovernmentCulpable andAccountable

DonCurrie,EditorFocusOnSocialism,ChairCPS
August24,2011

www.FocusOnSocialism.ca

ThepeopleofLibyahavebeenplungedintoabloodyconflictperpetratedontheircountry by the G7 NATO states. The rightwing Harper Conservative Government, with the active supportofoppositionMPsplayedaleadingroleinapprovingtheNATOaggressionagainst Libyaandnowaccountablefortheatrocitiesthatarecertaintofollow. Political forces that portray NATO as a liberator are in fact its subservient collaborators. That is the historical fate of those oppositionist forces in Libya that have accepted NATO support.Theyarenowitscaptiveservants.ThatwillalsobethefateoftheCanadianpeople unless there is a repudiation of the rightwing Conservative Stephen Harper governments slavishadherencetoNATOdoctrine. As events in Libya unfold, left progressive antiimperialist peace forces are required to remain focused and intensify their public exposure and opposition to the destructive interventionistroleofNATOinworldaffairs.NATOisthegendarmeoftheG7anditsfinance capitalist elites. By accepting NATO support, the political forces inside Libya and abroad, claimingtobeseekingfreedomanddemocracyforfeitedanyclaimtosuchnobleprinciples. ThereisamorebasepurposetoNATOintervention. Big foreign investors consider NATO regime change a business opportunity. That was the caseinIraqandAfghanistanandthatwillbethecaseinLibya.FinancialinsidersintheG7 NATOstatesarelininguptodobusiness.ThatincludesfinancecapitalistinterestsinCanada that are now poised to return to Libya to make deals with a compliant NATO imposed regime.TalismanandSNCLavalinwillbebackwithfewerconstraintsonitsprofiteeringin constructionandLibyanoilreserves. 1 ItalyandFrancecanbeexpectedtodemandcheaper Libyanoilimports.ALibyanstockmarketwillariseandflourishforthoseselectindividuals with money. Libyan public assets and oil wealth will be plundered. Libyan state treasury wealth appropriated by the US, Britain, France, Italy and Canada will be portioned out to prowesterninterestswithpoliticalstringsattachedsuchasdroppingLibyansolidaritywith the struggle of the Palestinian people. The G7 NATO states are now in charge of Libyas economicandpoliticalfuture.

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NATOOccupationofLibya
NATO will not be leaving Libya soon. A form of NATO military occupation is a certainty. 2 NATO collaborators inside Libya cannot prevail without continued NATO support. NATO occupation over time will turn into its opposite and will become the focal point of the resistanceofallofthepatrioticforcesinLibya.Itisprobablethatevenamongsomeofthe gullible, nave and euphoric forces that accepted NATO support will quickly learn that as they serve their purpose as combatants they will be quickly relegated and marginalized. NATOhasnointerestinrewardingminionsthatdoitsdirtywork. TheenemyoftheLibyanpeopleisNATOanditsG7backersregardlessofwhatallianceof internal forces now form government. A renewed struggle for Libyan independence will eventuallydevelop.LibyacannotprogressunderNATOcontrol.

TheConsequenceofNATOWarsonthePeopleofCanada
NATOwarsanywhereontheplanetaffectCanadians.CanadaisaG7NATOstate.NATOis nowperpetuallyatwar.CanadawillalsobeperpetuallyatwarsolongasitisaNATOstate. As Prime Minister Harper and Finance Minister Flaherty constantly remind us, Canada is integrated into the global system of capitalism. That means Canadians are not only vulnerabletoperiodiccollapsesoftheglobaleconomicsystemofcapitalism,italsomeans Canadians are vulnerable to the consequences of serial wars of capitalism. The global systemofcapitalismisperpetuallyatwarandnowsoisCanada. PrimeMinisterHarperenthusiasticallypromotesCanadaasawarstate.Hisgovernmenthas no foreign policy plans other than militarization of the economy, closer integration of Canadian armed forces into NATO command, and active participation in future conflicts. PrimeMinisterHarperhasnowputCanadaonapermanentwarfooting. 3 The Canadian people are now burdened with the costly aftermath of another NATO war sanctioned by the rightwing Conservative Harper Government. So long as Canada is a memberstateofNATOitcannotbeaforceforpeaceintheworld.NATOisanimperialist war alliance, not a peace alliance. The Canadian people, without being consulted, are compelledbytherightwingConservativeHarperGovernmenttofinancefutureNATOserial wars at the expense of vital social needs. Underfunding of public health care, education,

2 3

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=26153 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/theendofgadhafithebeginningofanewtougher canada/article2138317/

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pensions and child care are sacrificed by the Harper government to pay for rearming the CanadianmilitarytomakeitinteroperablewithNATOcommand. TherightwingHarperConservativegovernmenthasnoforeignpolicyofpeace.TheHarper governmenthasabandonedallpretenseofanindependentCanadianforeignpolicyofpeace andpromotestheNATOforeignpolicyofregimechangebyoverwhelmingmilitarypoweras itsfirstoption.AlloftheoppositionMPs,withtheexceptionofElizabethMayoftheGreen PartyhavedemonstratedtheirabjectwillingnesstosupporttheHarperGovernmentsNATO warpolicyagainstthegovernmentofLibya. The latest weakkneed statement by Paul Dewer NDP foreign affairs critic about events in Libya gives no assurance that the NDP is willing to develop a foreign policy of peace opposedtotheConservativepolicyofperpetualwar.DewarquotedintheGlobeandMail ofAugust23,2011isreportedtohavesaidthathehopesCanadawillcontinuetohelpLibya bysupportingnewdemocraticinstitutions.Dewarsaidhewasconcernedaboutwhatthe Harper Governments rhetoric means for the next conflict that surfaces. What the peace movement needs to hear from the NDP opposition caucus is that it will oppose the next NATOwar,notsupportit.

UNResolution1973thePretextforRegimeChange
AftertheexperiencewiththeBlairBushCheneyRumsfeldmanipulationoftheUNandthe socalled coalition of the willing to pave the way for shock and awe war on Iraq it should nowbeamplyclearthataG7NATOformulaforregimechangewarhasbeendeveloped. It was clear from the beginning that the G7 NATO states had targeted the Qaddafi governmentandwereaimingatanotherwarofregimechange.ThepretenseoftheNDP, theLiberalsandtheBlocthattheydidntknowthatwasthegoalofPrimeMinisterHarperis disingenuousintheextreme. UN Resolution 1973 was not about protecting civilians. It was a carbon copy of similar resolutions authorizing NATO intervention in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The objective of NATO intervention in Libya was regime change. Without NATO military intervention on the side of a disparate Libyan insurgency the Qaddafi government would havedefeatedtheoppositionforcesandrestoredtheunityofthecountry.Theaccusation ofthelargescalemassacreofcivilianswasaconcoctionofthewesternmediaanditwillnot betoolongbeforethatmonstrousliewillalsobeexposedjustasthemonstrousliespread

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by the BlairBushCheneyRumsfeld cabal that Saddam Hussein harbored weapons of mass destructionandwaspoisedtounleashthemonNorthAmerica. TheoverthrowbyNATOmilitaryforceoftheQaddafigovernmentisalongplannedNATO coup for which all NATO states are now accountable. NATO is the defacto power in any alliance that will now emerge in Libya. Within that alliance US imperialism wields the greatest political and military influence. Regardless of what internal alliance of political forcesemergeasthegoverningpowerinLibyaitwillbemilitarilyandpoliticallycontrolled by NATO and its economic future will be determined by the IMF, the World Bank, the EuropeanCentralBankandcompetingfinancecapitalistpowerelitesoftheG7NATOstates.

ANewRealityofNATODominationandOccupationofLibya
ThepeopleofLibyanowconfrontanewreality.Againsttheirwill,NATOinterventionhas embroiled their country in a long period of bloody turmoil. From one of the most prosperousandpeacefulandsecularcountriesinNorthAfricathepeopleofLibyahavenow beencastintotheranksofagrowinglistofstatesthatincludestheformerYugoslavia,Iraq, AfghanistanandHaitiallinthedepthsofdisunity,povertyandcriminality.Theveryforces PrimeMinisterHarperclaimsthreatensCanada,Islamicterrorists,colludedwithNATOand arenowactivelyvyingforpowerinLibya. The objective of the NATO aggression against Libya was to establish western imperialist control over Libyan oil and destroy all achievements of the Libyan people that can be attributed to any form of socialist endeavor. The geopolitical purpose of the NATO aggressionistoattempttointimidateallofthepopularantiimperialistforcesofAfricaand thegenuinelypopularuprisingsinEgyptandTunisiafromconsideringanoncapitalistpath of development. Prime Minister Harper in harmony with President Obama, President Sarkozy, President Berlusconi and Prime Minister Cameron asserts that the people of the MiddleEastandAfricaarefreetochooseanyeconomicsystemtheywishsolongasithas theapprovaloftheG7NATOIMFstates.TheattackonLibyawiththetacitsupportofIsrael is designed to weaken proPalestinian support among the people of North Africa and the Middle East of which Colonel Qaddafi was a consistent exponent. The G7 NATO plot to removetheQaddafiregimewillnowbeattemptedagainstSyria. The defeat of the Qaddafi government will now be followed by a long USNATO military presence in Libya. The construction of a USNATO military base isa virtual certainty. The basewillbeusedbytheUSAFRICOMcommandasaforwardstagingandtrainingareato
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intervene militarily in Africa. Canada is seeking bases in Kuwait to play its assigned NATO roleintheMiddleEastandCentralAsiaandisbeingpressuredtoprovideoccupationforces inLibya.ThePrimeMinisterwastentativeaboutthefutureroleofCanadainLibyabutclear that Canadian armed forces will stay for as long as required and that cannot rule out an occupationrole. 4

PeaceNATOStyleLibyaaccordingtoNATOpropagandistsisnowfree
ThepeopleofLibyaarenowfreeofpeace,freeofaunifiedcountry,freeofuniversalpublic education, free public health care, free of the right to decide their own economic system, freeofdiversepeopleslivinginsecularharmony,freeofthegainsLibyanwomenachieved duringtheQaddafiyears,freeofchildrenlivingwithoutthetraumaofwar,freeofassured employmentfortheyouth,freeofpublichousing,freeofflourishingoftraditionalLibyanart andculture,freeoftheownershipandcontroloftheirownoilandwaterresources,freeof governmentprogramstoprotecttheirownnaturalenvironment,freeoftherighttosetthe terms and limitations on foreign investment and development. Free of the right to determineinterstaterelationswithotherNorthAfricanstates.Freeofpeoplessovereignty andindependence.FreeoftheLibyanformofsocialism.

CanadianGovernmentComplicityandSupportforG7NATORegimeChange
TheG7NATOimperialiststatesformulaforregimechangehasonceagainbeenusedagainst amemberstateoftheUnitedNationsthatposesnothreattoCanadaoritspeople.Prime Minister Harper and his cabinet now routinely participate in the G7 NATO planning of the overthrow of independent states. They are presently heavily involved in planning NATO interventioninSyria.FederalgovernmentsupportforNATOwarsofinterventionisauseful andcynicalpoliticalmeanstodeflectpublicattentionfromdomesticpoliticswiththebonus of justifying increased military spending and appeasing investment insiders in particular thoseengagedinmilitaryprocurement. 5 Windfallprofitscanbemadebyforcingbywar,smallvulnerableindependentstatesintothe global imperialist camp and compelling them to accept the role of subject in the global

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawanotebook/pmseesendofcanadaslibyamissionin nottoodistantfuture/article2139134/ 5 http://www.canada.com/news/Libyan+rebels+using+Canadian+made+reconnaissance+drone/5294954/story.html

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systemofimperialism.TheG7NATOsetpieceforsuccesshasbeenfinetunedandwillnow beusedagainstSyria. Thesetpieceisasfollows:FirstacorruptmediademonizesthegovernmentoftheG7NATO targetedstate.TheUNimposesescalatingsanctions.Itdoessowiththetacitcomplicityof westernbackedregionalallieshopingtogetsomespoils.TheinstrumentsoftheUNsuchas theSecurityCouncilvetothatcouldbeusedtocurbwarandopenthewaytodiplomacyare undermined by the failure of Russia and China to resolutely oppose imperialism even as NATOsurroundstheircountrieswithaggressiveintent.Thentradeembargos,noflyzones, and outright theft of the financial assets of the targeted state by capitalist banks follows. Aggrievedprowesternoppositionforcessuddenlyemergewheretheyhavebeensheltered in the USA and Britain. Internal well armed adventurist often feudal forces appear. Governmentviolenceisalleged.NATOforcesaremobilizedandrapidlydeployed.Afterthe politicalalignmentofG7statesisachievedNATOadvancedtechnicalweaponryisemployed. The outcome is predictable. The defeated government leaders and their supporters, men women and children are murdered and/or transported to The Hague for mock trials and imprisonment. Even as the scenario plays out, the big banks and investor classes of the G7 states are preparing to move in to profit from rebuilding the carnage, from privatization of public resourcesandassetsandfromtheapportioningofnaturalresources.Thecountryinruinsis subjectedtoIMFausterity.ThepeopleareburdenedwithpayingforUSNATOpermanent militarybasesandinstallations.Peoplessovereigntyovertheirownnaturalresources,the socialgainstheyhaveachieved,therighttochoosetheeconomicsystemoftheirchoiceis expungedandthemajorityareplungedintounrelentingpovertyandexploitationtosurvive. Inevitablydrugs,crimeandthedegradationofwomenandchildrenresult.

CanadaandLibyaGovernmentandOppositionPartyCollusion
The rightwing Harper Conservative Government, the Liberal and NDP members of Parliamentunderinternationallawarenowpersonallylegallyresponsibleforanyatrocities that NATO backed opposition forces unleash on Libyan civilians who support the Qaddafi government. There is no international statue of war that absolves individuals and the militaryoflegalresponsibilityforatrocitiescommittedonoccupiedterritory,notevenifthe occupyingforceclaimsitisonahumanitarianmission.NATOofficershavebeenengagedin leadinginsurgentsinbattleontheterritoryofLibya.Thepeacemovementmustnotpermit

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theHarperGovernmenttospinitsinvolvementinthiswartoescapeitslegalresponsibility foritsaftermath. 6 Prime Minister Harper supported by all of the opposition MPs in the House of Commons with the exception of Elizabeth May of the Greens, committed Canadian armed forces to interveneononesideinacivilwar.Claimingtobemotivatedtoprotectcivilians,theHarper Government and the opposition MPs approved over 4000 NATO air strikes on Libyan militaryandcivilinfrastructurethatkilledmanyLibyans. The Harper Government and opposition MPs endorsed the limited mandate of the UN Resolution 1973 ostensibly to protect civilians. When that mandate was violated and became the pretext by NATO to overthrow by force the government of Libya, the Harper GovernmentandtheoppositionMPscontinuedtosupporttheNATOairbombardment. TheprotectionofciviliansmeansalsotheprotectionofLibyanciviliansthatopposedNATO intervention in their country. Foreign Minister Baird is called upon to clarify whether the Harper Government will look the other way as Libyan opposition forces, some of whom sharesimilarviewsastheTaliban,carryoutacampaignofrevengeandattempttoinstallan extremistfaithbasedregime. Prime Minister Harper and the opposition parties must explain to Canadians why NATO aggressionagainstamemberstateoftheUNthatposednothreattoCanadaanditspeople andwithwhomCanadawasengagedinpeacefuljointventuresshouldnotbeconsidereda warcrimeunderinternationallaw. Thatisthequestionthatthepeacemovementmusthavethecouragetoplacebeforeeach andeveryMemberofParliament. Canadians have a right to know if the opposition MPs have voluntarily ceded Canadian foreignandmilitarypolicytoNATO.TheHarperGovernmentconsidersNATOmilitaryforce asthefirstoptionofitsforeignandmilitarypolicy.TheHarperGovernmenthasabandoned anypretextofanindependentCanadianforeignpolicyofpeace.Canadianshavearightto knowifthatisalsotheforeignpolicypositionoftheoppositionparties. TherightwingHarperConservativegovernmentfailedtomakeanyproposalsattheUN,at NATO or to its allies, either politically or diplomatically that could have avoided NATO militaryaggressionandsavedthelivesofLibyansonallsidesoftheconflict.Itispurefiction

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that there was no mass popular support for the Qaddafi government. According to the interpretationgiventoUSResolution1973byallpartiesinParliamentLibyansupportersof theQaddafigovernmentarenotpeople,notciviliansandthereforeexpendable. NATO is now the defacto military power in Libya. The overthrow of the Qaddafi government by NATO military force was planned over a long period and could not have succeededwithoutcollusionandpoliticalagreementamongG7NATOstates,principallythe USA,GreatBritain,France,ItalyandCanada. ThecomplicityofthemembersoftheSecurityCouncilinendorsinganoflyzonetoprotect civilianshasledtocompleteregimechangeinLibya. 7 Thecredibilityofallstatessupporting UNResolution1973inparticularChina,Russia,IndiaandBrazil,politicallypowerfulstatesall claiming to speak for peace and the working people, in failing to use all diplomatic and political means to prevent the tragic events now be perpetrated by USNATO cronies in LibyaarecomplicitinwhatisnowunfoldinginLibya. The leaders of the left progressive democratic forces and the organized labour, farm and peacemovementswhohavebeenconspicuouslyabsentfromtheseeventsmustbecalled to explain their ambivalence and explain why it is defensible in principle, to oppose the ruthless antiworking class, antifarmer domestic policy of the Harper government while simultaneouslysupportingtheHarperGovernmentsNATOforeignpolicyofwar. The right wing Conservative Harper Government is consistently reactionary at home and abroad.ItistimeforallofthedemocraticforcesinCanadatobreakwithambivalenceand demandwithonevoiceCanadaOutofNATONow!

LeftTurnCanada!

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