Activists representing a broad coalition of anti-war organizations, the Nation of Islam, the political left, Islamic organizations and a plethora of grassroots community organizations have declared “all roads lead to Harlem” for the August 13th Millions in Harlem March to stop the bombing of Libya. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan will be the keynote speaker at the Harlem march.
Just as in other countries this war has been waged under the pretense of humanitarian intervention. Military intervention by the U.S. and its allies is being done for the benefit of the rich and powerful at the expense of working and oppressed people both here and in Libya. Countless civilians have died and will continue to die as a result of these attacks. And countless dollars will be taken from over-stretched budgets and social programs to fund this imperialist aggression. The lessons of history are clear in showing us that the outcome of this war (if the United States, Britain and France have their way) will be in favor of the interests of the rich; not in favor of democracy and self-determination for the people of Libya.
The U.S. and France started bombing “military targets,” but the damage done by the “peace effort,” according to some observers, has been more costly than what the Libyan leader had been accused of. Then came attacks on Gadhafi’s personal compounds that killed Libyan officials as well as a son of Col. Gadhafi and his grandchildren. NATO bombs hit the home of Libya's leader at least twice as Western nations declared he had to go, pushing a policy of regime change. The UN offered no proof that President Gadhafi’s was killing unarmed civilians, though he vowed to fight those who had taken up arms against the government.
Cynthia McKinney, a six-term former congresswoman from Georgia has traveled across the United States to report on what she has seen in Libya since the imperialistic war began. According to Ms. McKinney, “This [march] will galvanize public opinion, as people see this as being important to them. Obama certainly stumbled this time,” referring to the president's continued support for the NATO bombing of Libya. According to news outlets, the Obama administration is sending $10 million a day to NATO for the bombing of Libya.
Since day one of this imperialist military action in Libya, the corporate media has been in motion, preparing public opinion for war with and on Libya. Likewise, since the beginning of the crisis, the western, imperialist powers have been maneuvering militarily to take advantage of the situation. It is clear that the rebels in Libya are not of one mind. Undoubtedly, war with Libya will mean the most reactionary forces among the rebels coming to power if Gaddafi’s government is defeated by the guns and bombs of the west. Progressive people in the Middle East and around the world want an independent Libya, not a new puppet government like those that exist under occupied Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some who voted for the initial resolutions have expressed reservation, if not outright regret for doing so. The African Union, in particular, has been working for a negotiated settlement but has been disregarded by western nation’s intent on putting a new Libyan government in place. The South African ambassador to the UN, Baso Sangqu, told Security Council that his country's delegation “echoes the African Union demand for an immediate pause in NATO bombing.”
Democracy in Libya is an urgent issue to solve, but it does not come by tanks and aircraft carriers from the U.S. and NATO. The democratic struggle is inseparable from national sovereignty and popular sovereignty. The world should not allow the U.S. and other western powers to make Libya another Iraq. The sovereign right of the Libyan people to resolve their internal conflict must be respected.
To Find Out How You Can Support The March Go To: www.millionsmarchharlem.com.
1 Comment:
Very interesting!!
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