The intervention of the US-led West into Libya, the arrest of Mubarak and the fierce response in Syria and to a lessetr exten in Yemen, are all inter-related. They each have influenced what is going on in the Middle East and North Africa. They each send messages.
The arrest of Mubarak and his family, has sent a chilling message to dictators everywhere. "Do not give in...Fight to the bitter end or else you will suffer the same fate, even though you may have been a close ally of the USA and the West. They will desert you in your hour of need and will join your enemies against you. They always put their interests ahead of their friendship". Gadhafi has heard the message and so has Assad. They are not going anywhere and they will use all that is necessary to stay in power, because that is their only protection against humiliation, prison an/or death.
It is the citizens of these countries who will be paying the price. In Libya Gadhafi has hunkered down and as each attempt to kill him by bombing his compounds fail, he becomes more defiant and the only way he is going to go any where is on his terms, and he has already made it known that he is not leaving. The same is true in Yemen, where a close ally in the fight against al Qaeda is staying firm, even after a failed attempt to blow him up. He has seen the alternative and he is not interested. Even if a deal is made, so that he can go into exile, he will not go because there is no assurance that they will not come for him under the guise of Human Rights violation and drag him to the Hague. There are already charges levelled at Gadhafi.
The Syrian people are under attack by government forces loyal to Assad. He is from the small Alewite tribe and he knows the ugly fate that awaits him, if he gives in. He will fight on, like Gadhafi and others and the people will bleed.
This is due to the stupidity and arrogance (from whence it flows) of the USA and France and Britain. The latter two, fearing and thus resisting the dustbin of history, for their fading nations, have decided to latch on to the tail of the USA, but America is overstretched and cannot get involved in another long. drawn-out war, especially with Obama under constant pressure from the economy and the Republicans, and with an election to be fought.
They under-estimated Gadhafi (this is stupidity, they have seen him in action foe 40 years, don't they learn?) and his will to survive. They fail to learn from the history of previous wars, that you cannot win a war from the air. Yes bombs destroy a lot and casualties while high on the groung is very low for the bombimg nations. The war is protracted, with little gains to show and the increasing casualties on the ground turn saviour into enemy. Obama pulled back and Cameron and Sarkozy started whining. NATO is in disarray. Germany wants no part of it, Italy is focused on the "love"life of Berlusconi and Spain, Portugal and others are broke.
This has been a fiasco. The light at the end of the tunnel is a speedind train rushing towards you and you betterget out of the way. Sarkozy has a year in power. Cameron has "hacking" scandal, Berlusconi is a "fading gigolo" and Obama is in a fight for his political life. In the meantime Gadhafi, Assad and other dictators are making sure that they will be around to deal with a new set of "rulers"
C'est la vie. Plus ca
The arrest of Mubarak and his family, has sent a chilling message to dictators everywhere. "Do not give in...Fight to the bitter end or else you will suffer the same fate, even though you may have been a close ally of the USA and the West. They will desert you in your hour of need and will join your enemies against you. They always put their interests ahead of their friendship". Gadhafi has heard the message and so has Assad. They are not going anywhere and they will use all that is necessary to stay in power, because that is their only protection against humiliation, prison an/or death.
It is the citizens of these countries who will be paying the price. In Libya Gadhafi has hunkered down and as each attempt to kill him by bombing his compounds fail, he becomes more defiant and the only way he is going to go any where is on his terms, and he has already made it known that he is not leaving. The same is true in Yemen, where a close ally in the fight against al Qaeda is staying firm, even after a failed attempt to blow him up. He has seen the alternative and he is not interested. Even if a deal is made, so that he can go into exile, he will not go because there is no assurance that they will not come for him under the guise of Human Rights violation and drag him to the Hague. There are already charges levelled at Gadhafi.
The Syrian people are under attack by government forces loyal to Assad. He is from the small Alewite tribe and he knows the ugly fate that awaits him, if he gives in. He will fight on, like Gadhafi and others and the people will bleed.
This is due to the stupidity and arrogance (from whence it flows) of the USA and France and Britain. The latter two, fearing and thus resisting the dustbin of history, for their fading nations, have decided to latch on to the tail of the USA, but America is overstretched and cannot get involved in another long. drawn-out war, especially with Obama under constant pressure from the economy and the Republicans, and with an election to be fought.
They under-estimated Gadhafi (this is stupidity, they have seen him in action foe 40 years, don't they learn?) and his will to survive. They fail to learn from the history of previous wars, that you cannot win a war from the air. Yes bombs destroy a lot and casualties while high on the groung is very low for the bombimg nations. The war is protracted, with little gains to show and the increasing casualties on the ground turn saviour into enemy. Obama pulled back and Cameron and Sarkozy started whining. NATO is in disarray. Germany wants no part of it, Italy is focused on the "love"life of Berlusconi and Spain, Portugal and others are broke.
This has been a fiasco. The light at the end of the tunnel is a speedind train rushing towards you and you betterget out of the way. Sarkozy has a year in power. Cameron has "hacking" scandal, Berlusconi is a "fading gigolo" and Obama is in a fight for his political life. In the meantime Gadhafi, Assad and other dictators are making sure that they will be around to deal with a new set of "rulers"
C'est la vie. Plus ca
