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A new paradigm for a post-imperial world

Archive for the ‘Drive to Global War’ Category

Facing total economic meltdown at home US/UK, spear-heading NATO, have chosen the path of confrontation with the rest of the world, a path which will lead us to the brink of war with Russia and China

French government manoeuvres for resolution to Libyan war

Posted by seumasach on July 13, 2011

Patrick O’Connor

WSWS

13th July, 2011

The French administration of Nicolas Sarkozy appears to be stepping up efforts to strike a deal with the Libyan government aimed at sidelining Muammar Gaddafi and bringing the NATO bombardment of the oil-rich state to a conclusion. The diplomatic manoeuvres reflect the growing crisis confronting the US, France and Britain as their illegal military campaign enters its fifth month without succeeding in its primary objective of forcing regime change in Tripoli.

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This Libyan misadventure will end in tears

Posted by seumasach on July 13, 2011

Cynical French, a naive PM, foolish MPs. This Libyan misadventure will end in tears

Max Hastings

Daily Mail

13th July, 2011

There was a particularly bleak moment for NATO’s mission in Libya, and especially for the British Government which has led the charge against Colonel Gaddafi, in Paris on Monday. The French defence minister declared that military action against Libya is not working, and it is time to talk.

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US Backs Russian Mediation in Libya

Posted by seumasach on July 12, 2011

Voice of America

12th July, 2011

The United States says it is prepared to support Russia’s mediation efforts in Libya, as France signals its frustration with the lack of progress in reaching a political solution to the crisis.

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Pakistan ‘punished’ in Pipelineistan

Posted by seumasach on July 12, 2011

Pepe Escobar

Asia Times

13th July, 2011

Before the end of 2011, Pakistan will start working on its stretch of the IP (Iran-Pakistan) gas pipeline – according to Asim Hussain, Pakistan’s federal minister for petroleum and natural resources. The 1,092 kilometers of pipeline on the Iranian side are already in place.

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French defense minister takes U-turn

Posted by seumasach on July 12, 2011

New Kerala

12th July, 2011

Paris, July 12 : Military action against embattled dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is not working and Libyan tyrant must be welcomed to negotiations with pro-freedom rebels, France’s defense minister has said.

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L’OTAN face a l’ingratitude des Libyens

Posted by seumasach on July 12, 2011

Le retrait italien et les déclarations du ministre français de la Défense ne sont pas surprenantes. Malgré sa puissance de feu sans équivalent dans l’Histoire, l’armada de l’OTAN a perdu cette guerre. Non pas bien sûr au plan militaire, mais parce qu’elle a oublié que « la guerre est la continuation de la politique par d’autres moyens » et qu’elle s’est trompée politiquement. Les hurlements de Washington, qui a réprimandé le ministre français et refuse de perdre la face, n’y changeront rien.

Thierry Meyssan

Voltairenet

11th July, 2011

111 jours après le début de l’intervention de la Coalition des volontaires en Libye, aucune solution militaire n’est en vue et les experts s’accordent tous à dire que le temps joue en faveur du gouvernement libyen, sauf coup de chance et assassinat de Mouammar el-Kadhafi.

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Celebrating peace! Libyans dancing in the streets

Posted by seumasach on July 12, 2011

Pravda

11th July, 2011

Pravda.Ru sources inside Libya have confirmed that the people of Tripoli are dancing in the streets in joy, celebrating a great victory, because NATO has ceased its bombing campaign. Sources in Libya state that negotiations are ongoing with France and meanwhile there has been a cessation of hostilities.

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French minister urges dialogue to end military operation in Libya

Posted by seumasach on July 12, 2011

People’s Daily

12th July, 2011

French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet urged Libyan rebels to hold talks with pro-Gaddafi forces, citing the talks as an ultimate condition to end foreign military operations in the North African country, local media reported on Monday.

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France Says NATO Bombing Has Failed

Posted by seumasach on July 12, 2011

Franklin Lamb

Scoop

12th July, 2011

One of the jokes heard at this week’s massive pro-government Friday post prayer rally at Green Square (in most of the other Arab countries Fridays are days of rage against the government du jour but in Libya Friday prayers are followed by massive pro-Qadaffi rallies, attended two weeks ago by close to 65% of Tripoli’s population) is about how each morning Libya’s leader, following early morning Fajr prayers dons his formal uniform, complete with those huge epaulets, and salutes the small NATO flag he tapes to his bathroom mirror as he moves from place to place dodging NATO drones and assassins. “Our leader does this”, one young lady informed me first with a wide smile and then growing serious, “because the NATO bombing of Libyan civilians, which the US/NATO axis claims Qaddafi is doing, has caused his popularity to skyrocket among our proud and nationalist tribal people. I am one example of this. Yes, of course we can use some new blood and long overdue reform in our government. Which country cannot? But first we must defeat the NATO invaders and then we can sort out our problems among our tribes including the so-called “NATO Rebels.”

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License for War in Libya

Posted by seumasach on July 11, 2011

Legality remains of fundamental importance to the question of war. However, just as a nation’s legal system is inevitably distorted by an excessive concentration of wealth and power, international law is inevitably distorted by states of hegemonic or near-hegemonic power: by empire. As the post-1945 period, and particularly the post-1991 period, was characterised by the global power of the USA and NATO, the UN and international law has been perverted to serve their interests. The end of US hegemony which we are now seeing is an opportunity to refound the UN and international law in the context of a more, balance, multipolar, post-imperial world. Note that I use the word “multipolar” and not “multilateral”: “multilateral” has been coined to indicate an ideal whereby US inspired actions always have the cover of international support, of their minions who rally to them.

Chase Madar

Middle-East Online

10th July, 2011

It is too easily forgotten that warfare is not primarily a matter of law. Under international law, the UN Security Council blessed NATO’s Libya campaign without the necessary debates over its consequences, says Chase Madar.

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Libya: A campaign built on sand

Posted by seumasach on July 11, 2011

NATO’s  military campaign is the greatest debacle in its history and all their control of the media can’t conceal it. We have the NY Times describing rebels looting villages and, here,Britain’s most gung-ho looking on in despair. For all its farcical character this intervention remains a crime which has destroyed countless lives but some consolation can be drawn from the debacle: surely this is the end of NATO.

Con Goughlin

Telegraph

11th July, 2011

Four months ago, when David Cameron led the international call for military intervention in Libya, the general assumption within government circles was that Col Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan dictator, would realise the game was up the moment Nato warplanes began bombing his forces.

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