Rebels in Libya enter Tripoli, Gaddafi rule to be over soon

Rebels have entered Tripoli

Celebrations break out around Libya 

Two of Gaddafi’s sons captured 

Where is Gaddafi?   At this hour although he’s made several radio broadcasts but it is believed that Gaddafi is on the run and making the broadcasts via satellite phone.  There are a number of reports that suggest that he’s leaving for one of a number of African nations.

Some of the most interesting TV going on right now is what is happening with the journalists in the hotel where they’ve been contained it Tripoli.  It appears their minders have split but perhaps not, there is some significant tension.

However I think the best source for news and information is the live link to Al Jazeera English.

 

Libya, Gaddafi, and the idiocy of NATO and the United Nations

Tonight on CNN I heard John King say, “Muammar Gaddafi is now using bombs meant to maim and kill people.”  As opposed to what, bombs meant to give Swedish massage?!?  This whole Libyan situation has gotten beyond ridiculous and I’m sick of the US government, NATO and the United Nations.  I never believed the US wanted to do anything about Libya and laid out why in a piece I posted several weeks ago.

http://zdeaconblue.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/why-the-military-industrial-complex-commanded-we-abandon-libya/

So why are in Libya, simply look at who fired the first shot, the French.  The French were the first to recognize the rebels and drove the UN and NATO into this fight, why?  Well, it’s as simple as why we went into Iraq.   We went into Iraq to protect American oil company interests and the French led us into Libya to protect French oil interests.

http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/Oil/8578907

So, let’s face reality, Gaddafi is a criminal, a murderer specifically, we know for a fact that he is a terrorist.

http://zdeaconblue.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/why-we-will-do-nothing-about-libya/

So let’s stop playing games, if we want him out of power then take him out.  I know, it will make all of our other dictator/partner/oil suppliers nervous if we do so.  God forbid we should make oil hoarding dictators nervous, it might cause gas prices to go up.  Either go in and remove Gaddafi by any means and quickly, or get the hell out of Libya!

Reality Check: On Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan and America’s Military

The following is taken from a Marine Corps. Blog written by Sgt. Priscilla Sneden.  It’s a poignant piece about the reality of our world and the fact that folks seem to care more about celebrities than American War dead.   Thanks to my friend Jax for turning me on to this piece and to all the men and women who have served our country.

In the past few weeks, Charlie Sheen’s public antics have created yet another Hollywood media frenzy. Every major news organization has covered the star’s breakdown. He has more than 2.8 million followers on Twitter and his Good Morning America Interview has more than 7.8 million views on YouTube.

While I love entertainment news, as much as the next 23-year-old, it disturbs me that Americans seem to be more intrigued by Hollywood happenings than the fact that OUR service members are still engaged in two wars and humanitarian operations across the globe.

There are currently more than 42,000 soldiers in Iraq. As our combat role in the nation draws to a close, the U.S. Army continues to advise, train, and equip Iraqi Security Forces, enabling them to provide for internal security while building a foundation to defend against external threats.

According to the International Security Assistance Force there are 90,000 U.S. service members supporting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. About 24,000 are Marines, conducting counterinsurgency operations in partnership with the government to protect the Afghan people, develop the Afghan National Security Force capabilities, and support improved governance and economic development.

We have thousands more Marines and Sailors embarked on Navy vessels guarding the seas – equipped and ready to respond to threats any place in the world.

Now, let’s put things into perspective. More than 130,000 Americans are in combat zones right now – they are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters- yet we are concerned with why Lindsay Lohan is back in court?

Prior to becoming a Marine, someone told me “only military appreciates military.”  While I think the statement is a bit harsh, it’s partly based on truth.  The fact that America would rather know about the next tinsel town scandal supports the idea.

It is no secret that the civil unrest in the North African nation of Libya is worsening, as forces loyal to Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi and Libyan rebels clash violently. Marines with the 26^th Expeditionary Marine Unit were directed by the Department of Defense to help evacuate Egyptians, who fled to the Tunisian border from Libya.

In an American Forces Press article released last week, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said NATO strongly condemned the use of force against the Libyan people. What NATO will decide from this point and what our role will be in Libya is way above my pay grade. But as a sergeant of Marines I can say I’d rather know about what is going on in the daily lives of my fellow service members than where the cast of Jersey Shore is headed next.

There is nothing real about reality television. You want reality? Ask a Marine, Sailor, solider or airman.

From the New York Times, a list of some of the brave Americans who have given their life in the service of their country during this year.  Please take a moment and think about their sacrifice and the impact of their deaths on their family.  It would be a good moment to also appreciate your own family.

HINKLE, Michael J. II, 24, Senior Airman, Air Force; Corona, Calif.; 28th Communications Squadron.

ACOSTA, Rudy A., 19, Pfc., Army; Canyon Country, Calif.; Fourth Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry.

McDANIEL, Mecolus C., 33, Staff Sgt., Army; Fort Hood, Tex.; First Infantry Division.

MEIS, Christopher S., 20, Lance Cpl. Marines; Bennett, Colo.; Second Marine Division.

MICKLER, Donald R. Jr., 29, Cpl., Army; Bucyrus, Ohio; Fourth Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry.

RODRIGUEZ, Arturo E., 19 Pfc., Army; Bellflower, Calif; 101^st Airborne Division

TOMPKINS, Travis M., 31, Staff Sgt., Army; Lawton, Okla.; 10th Mountain Division.

ALDEN, Nicholas J., 25, Senior Airman, Air Force; Williamston, S.C.; 48th Security Forces Squadron.

STANTON, Jordan R., 20, Cpl., Marines; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.; Second Marine Division.

WEAVER, Jason M., 22, Specialist, Army; Anaheim, Calif.; 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade.

WELLS, Mark C., 31, Staff Sgt., Army; San Jose, CA.; 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command.

Why the military-industrial complex commanded we abandon Libya

I am not prone to flights of conspiratorial fancy but sometimes the conspiracy theory nuts get close to the truth.  So in this post I want to lay out an idea about how significant our abandonment of democratically focused freedom fighters was always a foregone conclusion.

So what is the military-industrial complex?  In 1961 President Dwight D Eisenhower made a farewell speech to the nation.  In that speech he clearly related the coming marriage between the defense industry and our nation and how powerful that new relationship would become and the impact it would have.  The most significant passage from his talk is below:

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

The amount we spent on defense in America in 2010 was $663 billion, roughly one-sixth of the entire US budget (16%).  By comparison, we spent $46 billion to fund the Department of Education.

The top ten defense lobbyist spent $27 million in the last quarter of 2009 at a time when the US had decided to ramp up the military efforts in Afghanistan.  With this type of money being spent the defense industry becomes a significant player in our government with significant influence on the policies and actions of congress and the president.

In a nutshell what this means is that the defense industry has a vested interest, which they pay heavily for, in how we conduct ourselves in the world.  Corporate leaders look for opportunities to support conflict which drives their profits, likewise they need fear to hold continued support from the public, and have an interest in maintaining a healthy economy that allows for significant defense spending.  So the military-industrial complex needs a growing economy, an American public in fear and conflict to drive military spending.

So how does this relate to Libya?  Libya is an oil rich country, granted, not a significant importer to America but an oil rich Arab nation none-the-less and let’s not forget that the defense industry is a global, not an American, phenomenon.   So as Egyptian students revolted in the streets we could be supportive, Egypt does not provide us with oil and as such is not a threat to our growing economy.  Saudi Arabia however is and literally across a causeway bridge is a burgeoning revolt in the country of Bahrain.  If the United States stepped in and helped out the Libyan rebels with military assets, it would be difficult to justify not helping similar rebels in Bahrain and then potentially, rebels in Saudi Arabia, our third largest energy provider after Canada and nearly equal to Mexico.  But North American sources are easily protected, the Saudi’s our good friends are not. 

So by not stepping in to help the Libyan rebels we do two things.  First, we stay on Gaddafi’s good side and also keep the oil fields pumping and oil profits from Libya flowing.  Secondly, we set up a situation where it would be hypocritical to go into Bahrain.  And so today, our good friends the Saudi’s moved in to help Bahrain quell their street protests with a military presence.  I’m sure this was done to send a clear message to people in Saudi Arabia that if they would use their military against protestors in Bahrain, they would certainly do the same at home.  Staying out of Libya guaranteed the Saudi’s could act with impunity.

We have one of the elements the military-industry complex needs, oil is flowing and that allows for economic growth in the world.  Now all we need is to keep the American public afraid and find a military option to make up for monies no longer being spent in Iraq.  Well my friends, both of those things can be taken care of in Yemen.  First there is a revolt going on in Yemen as well, and secondly they specter of Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula is alive and well.  Those two things give the United States all of the justification we need to perform airstrikes and missile attacks and eventually move forces into Yemen.  The purpose will be to quell the protests against the Yemeni president we support and of course to remove the bogey man of the 21^st century, the Al Qaeda terrorist threat.

Why we will do nothing about Libya

Unless you are living under a rock and if so thanks for coming out to read this blog, you probably know that the most recent of the countries to be having a little revolt is Libya.  A country run by the ever highly entertaining, dangerous, insane bastard by the name of  Muammar Gaddafi or Khadhafi, it seems like each news organization picks a new way to spell his name.  The link below will give you a little background on this madman and his past atrocities which include sponsoring the terrorist who destroyed a flight over Lockerbie, Scotland which included killing one of my friend’s siblings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaddafi

Without a doubt Gaddafi is a bastard who in seeing what was happening to Saddam Hussein decided to give up his WMD programs in order to pacify the Bush Administration.  He’s insane, not stupid.  He bought himself a place outside of the spotlight and stayed tucked away in his little corner until the recent uprising.  Now, his people, seeing the successes in Tunisia and Egypt decided it was time to take the tyrant down.  However Libya is not Egypt and Gaddafi has not been above hiring mercenaries, killing civilians or using airpower and his military to subdue his citizens.

So today both the EU ministers and the NATO Alliance folks sat around and debated what they might do.  Of course they will do nothing without a mandate by the United Nations.  The fact is, that by time they get around to seriously considering doing anything Gaddafi will quite literally have crushed the opposition.  Libya is small potatoes in the oil business, a small country that accounts for only 1-2% of the world’s oil supply so in the end, unless the French oil companies doing business there can truly pressure NATO, we will watch the Libyan people get crushed.  Gaddafi and his family know this and they are so sure that they are brutally bombing, torturing and killing their citizens to put down this revolt.  As usual, in order to see what drives the events of history, we need look no further than the financial impact on the military industrial complex and Libya just doesn’t register a large enough hit.