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by Stephen Lendman
In 2011, US-led NATO ravaged and destroyed Africa’s most prosperous country - Jamahiriya “government of the popular masses by themselves for themselves.”
“(T)he People (served) as president” through democratic committees and congresses - polar opposite America’s sham system, run exclusively by and for powerful monied interests.
Gaddafi shared his nation’s oil wealth with all Libyans, providing generous rights and benefits ordinary Americans can’t imagine. His independence marked him for regime change. Libya today is a cauldron of endless violence and chaos, a testimony to the kind of dystopian harshness following US interventions.
UN efforts crafted the illusion of unity governance - combining the Western recognized Tobruk-based regime, led Abdullah al-Thani, with rival power headed by Prime Minister Khalifa al-Ghawi in Tripoli.
A Sunday London Guardian report said “Western officials are scrambling to get authorisation for Libya airstrikes in the coming days…” - on the phony pretext of fighting ISIS, the Guardian failed to explain.
It established a foothold in the country with considerable foreign support - the fuel keeping it operating. Otherwise it would become a spent force after exhausting its resources with no way to replenish them - mainly its weapons gotten from Western and regional countries.
US, UK and French military planners are preparing for Libya 2.0. Their drones and reconnaissance planes are operating, their warplanes ready to strike with or without formal authorization.
No Security Council permission exists or will be forthcoming. Illusory coalition unity omits numerous other factions given no say. No meaningful, legitimate central government exists. None is in prospect.
US special forces already operate in-country - almost surely with their UK and French counterparts. They’ve been there covertly since 2011 or likely earlier preparing for war. Now another one looms - another high crime in the making on Obama’s rap sheet.
Washington, Britain and France want to complete unfinished business. Destroying Libya left divided governance and separate tribal groups. Will another war turn out better than the earlier one?
For sure if the aim is to help ISIS become entrenched in another country, creating greater regional violence and turmoil than already - sham unity governance or whatever is cobbled together unable to combat it.
The prize is total US-led control of Libya’s oil reserves, Africa’s largest, along with its ocean-sized fresh water beneath its sands - the Great Man-Made River (GMMR).
Gaddafi called it the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” its water reserves able to last 1,000 years at 2007 consumption rates. It’s more valuable than oil.
Nothing ahead for Libya looks promising. US-led NATO war may be days or weeks away.
A nation turned to rubble can expect more of the same. Imperial ruthlessness works the same way everywhere.
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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".