Libya : popular uprising, civilian war or military attack ? MUST READ

[malaise]

http://www.michelcollon.info/Libya-popular-uprising-civilian.html?lang=fr
<snip>

All the same, Gadaffi is not very ...
Gaddafi is not a bad Arab because he ordered the crowd to be fired on. The same thing was done in Saudi Arabia or in Bahrain and the leaders of those countries still receive all the honours the West can confer. Gaddafi is a bad Arab because he nationalised Libyan oil, which the western companies believed – until the 1969 revolution, to be their own. By doing this, Gaddafi brought about positive changes in Libya in what concerns infrastructure, education, health, the position of women, etc.

Well, Gaddafi overthrew the monarchy, nationalised oil, opposed the imperial powers and brought about positive changes in Libya. Nevertheless, 40 years later, he is a corrupt dictator which suppresses all opposition and who is once again opening his country to western companies. How do you explain that change ?
From the start, Gaddafi was opposed to the great colonial powers and generously supported various liberation movements throughout the world. I think he was very good for that reason. But to give the full picture, it is also necessary to mention that the Colonel was an anti-communist. In 1971, for example, he sent back to Sudan an aeroplane which was carrying Sudanese communist dissidents who were immediately executed by President Nimeiri.
The truth is that Gaddafi has never been a great visionary. His revolution was a bourgeois national revolution and what he established in Libya was state capitalism. To understand how his regime lost its way, we must analyse the context – which has gone against it – and also the personal mistakes made by Gaddafi.
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An excellent Pan-African analysis

change link

[snappyturtle]

1. I tried the link but it is to a music site. Nice site but..............???

[joshcryer]

2. Here's the link, it's full of untruths:

http://www.michelcollon.info/Libya-popular-uprising-civilian.html

[dipsydoodle]

8. Which untruths ?

:shrug:

[malaise]

9. If it doesn't follow the Western meme

it's untrue - you are with us or blah blah blah

[malaise]

3. LOL

My bad corrected

http://www.michelcollon.info/Libya-popular-uprising-civilian.html?lang=fr

[dipsydoodle]

4. He also kept the three original states together

which Italy had made into one country - Tripolitania, Fezzan, and Cyrenaica. And that is why Libya differs from Tunisia & Egypt : age old tribal differences.

When it whotsiname has gone it will become a civil war between Tripolitania and Cyrenaica where Benghazi is. The latter crew will arm themselves and try to take Tripoli.

They will best be left to it. May the best crew win and the west just deal with it.

[malaise]

6. Weeks ago I made the point that apparently

the West does not know Libyan history

[joshcryer]

7. Tripoli had uprisings against Gaddafi, hundreds were killed.

Gaddafi unified the tribes.

Against him.

[dipsydoodle]

10. Well when they get their "democratic" erections

it will be interesting to see which way the 70 tribes vote.

Won't it.

[joshcryer]

5. Gaddafi had over a dozen oil contracts with his "nationalized oil company."

What most people do not grasp is that most oil states nationalize their oil. Venezuela, Saudia Arabia, Iran, etc. When you have that kind of money flowing it's necessary to nationalize it.

[CJCRANE]

11. Gaddafi shelled and bombed the protesters with heavy artillery and air strikes.

It's one thing to shoot at protesters but it's a different ball game when you try raze their towns and cities to the ground.

[snappyturtle]

12. Great article and truly is a must read! It explains SO much...thank you!

I found the counter oil information enlightening.....matter-of-fact, DUers ought to familiarize themselves with what the orchectrated drop in oil prices did to small oil companies in this country!

[Distant Observer]

13. Don't confuse the issue with INFORMATION. AC360 tell all we need to know

[malaise]

15. What a great comment

:rofl:

[mdmc]

14. ..