H/T JustForeignPolicy

  Anti-Imperial Voices - by Stephen Lendman

Last August, over 140 prominent Africans expressed opposition to NATO's imperial war against Libya. South African signatories to an open letter included former President Thabo Mbeki, former Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils, former Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad, and ANC National Executive Committee member Jesse Duarte.

  Killing Gaddafi: Longstanding US Policy - by Stephen Lendman

Absent reliable independent proof, some sources believe a double was killed, not Gaddafi. More on that below.

Nonetheless, clear evidence shows Washington wanted him dead for years.

  Why Libya Was Attacked - by Stephen Lendman

Obama's March 28, 2011 address at the National Defense University was true to form. It reeked of duplicity, hypocrisy, and ball-faced lies, saying:

"For generations, the United States of America has played a unique role as an anchor of global security and as an advocate for human freedom."

  Libya: Another Lost NATO War - by Stephen Lendman

NATO's sole new millennium accomplishment consists of endless unwinnable wars. Coalition partners eventually tire and pull out. 

America may end up isolated against raging street anger to end imperial wars and address vital neglected homeland needs. It's already happening. 

From Jurist

JURIST Special Guest Columnist Curtis Doebbler of Webster University and the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, both in Geneva, Switzerland, says the killing of Muammar Gaddafi appears to be another violation of international law involving the US, sending the dangerous message that one must kill or be killed...

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Although the facts are far from clear, most reports now seem to confirm that Muammar Gaddafi was killed after his convoy was attacked by NATO planes, including aircraft from the US and France, and after he was captured alive. If these facts are correct, they point to yet another serious violation of international law involving the US.

The willful killing or summary execution of a prisoner of war who is no longer participating in an armed conflict is a grave breach of the Third Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War of 1949, to which both France and the US are parties. It makes no difference how much one dislikes the particular prisoner of war. The resulting obligation for all parties to this treaty is that they investigate, arrest and punish the perpetrators of such crimes.

  Mixed Messages on Gaddafi - by Stephen Lendman

Nothing from NATO, political capitals, puppet TNC officials, and major media scoundrels is credible. Nonetheless, manipulated public opinion says he's gone.

Wikipedia has him born June 7, 1942, died October 20, 2011, saying Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi "was Libya's head of state from 1969 when he seized power in a bloodless coup."

"It’s not acceptable to kill a person without trying him," said Louay Hussein, a Syrian opposition figure in Damascus. "I prefer to see the tyrant behind bars." New York Times, October 20

The New York Times reported that a NATO jet and drones disabled vehicles in a convoy carrying Muammar Gaddafi near the besieged town of Sirte on October 20. Loyalists in the remaining vehicles scattered becoming easy prey for the emboldened fighters of the new Libyan state.

Reuters expanded the narrative on the 21st by reporting that Gaddafi fled from his jeep, hid in a drainage pipe, and emerged with an automatic weapon and side arm. He was manhandled and slapped by the soldiers of the new Libya. He allegedly asked the crowd, "Don't you know right from wrong?" They took exception to the question and shot him twice in the head. He was transported to Misurata, scene of one of the few decisive victories by the former rebels. Gaddafi's corpse was placed on a bare mattress and put on display for the public on the 22nd. It remains there today, although it is now reportedly covered by a blanket (Reuters, October 23).

There's a new sheriff in town, NATO.

  Doubts About Gaddafi's Reported Assassination - by Stephen Lendman

NATO, Washington, Western media, Qatar-controlled Al Jazeera, Saudi-controlled Al Arabia, UK-controlled BBC, and other mainstream sources reported his death. More on that below.

On October 20, Mathaba.net disputed official accounts, saying:

  Gaddafi: Dead or Alive? - by Stephen Lendman

Either way he became a legend in his own time. Thursday on the Progressive Radio News Hour, James Petras reported information he received from a reliable Argentina source saying he's dead.

If so, he explained, he'll be Africa's greatest martyr since Congo's Patrice Lumumba. After leading its independence struggle successfully in June 1960, a CIA coup ousted him 10 weeks later. 

  Hillary Clinton in Tripoli - by Stephen Lendman

Obama is an unindicted war criminal. So is Clinton. More on her staged photo-op theater below.

On October 18, NATO deputy spokesperson Carmen Romero said:

  Major Media Liars Never Quit - by Stephen Lendman

Whenever major media Libya reports appear, truth is distorted, manipulated and falsified. For seven months, despite daily terror bombing and ground attacks, courageous loyalists bested the ferocity of NATO and its rebel army.

As a result, they control most of Tripoli, Benghazi and other cities across the country. Fighting, however, still rages. Loyalists are holding their own. They're determined to liberate Libya, live free and rebuild. 

  Lies, Damn Lies, and NATO Claiming Control Across Libya - by Stephen Lendman

At an October 11 press briefing, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu claimed Operation Unified Protector (NATO's aggression on Libya) "has been a great success. We're pretty close to the end, but we're not there yet."

  Libyan Loyalists Fight NATO, Rebels and Propaganda - by Stephen Lendman

Reporting more propaganda than legitimate news, Al Jazeera broadcast another lie about NTC fighters, claiming Mutassim Gaddafi's capture, saying:

"....(O)ne of Gaddafi's sons has been captured in Sirte, according to" NTC officials. He's "currently being held in Benghazi....after being arrested on Wednesday."

  Libyans Resist NATO's Killing Machine - by Stephen Lendman

For over six and a half months, Libyans tied down the world's mightiest military force despite overwhelming odds against them and enormous loss of life and human suffering.

Established in 1949, NATO was never a "military alliance for peace and security." It was for offense, not defense. Cold War hysteria was contrived to incite fear and assure an arms race for corporate dominance and enrichment.

By Dave Lindorff

While this statement by Occupy Wall Street is a powerful list of grievances against capitalism, it fails to even once mention the word "war." This is a significant failing, and cannot have been an oversight. The activists in Liberty Park and in cities across the country, if they want to make this a mass movement to confront the corporate domination of American politics and society, must be willing to confront head on the reality that the corporate elite have made the U.S. into the world's greatest war-monger. It is not just "colonialism," an outmoded term, that is the problem. It is a vast web of imperialism, imposed by a war machine that is bigger and costlier than all the rest of the world's armies combined, and it is the single biggest reason that this country is descending into a state of social and economic decay and decline.

By Charles M. Young

By Ron Ridenour

It was with joy that I watched television coverage of election day, September 15. According to all the nine political parties running, and the mass media, there were no wars in the world and Denmark no longer was involved in three wars—Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya--alongside the USA.

In fact, all through the three-week long election campaign, none of the parties spoke of war, or of that most fundamental of moral questions a society must ask: do we kill other people who do not attack us?

  Planned Peacekeeper Occupation of Libya - by Stephen Lendman

The peacekeepers are coming! The peacekeepers are coming! War, mass killing and destruction continue, but they're coming!

In fact, paramilitaries are coming to kill and terrorize Libyans wanting liberation, not occupation. 

By Dave Lindorff

When you are the New York Times, or in this case, one of the only real liberal columnists working for the Times anymore, there are apparently some things you just cannot mention.

How else to explain how a seemingly intelligent economist like Paul Krugman can scorch the Republicans in Congress and President Obama for failing to deal with the crisis of joblessness and deepening economic collapse in the U.S., but never once mention the endless and pointless wars into which the country is pouring hundreds of billions of dollars a year?

Here’s Krugman:

  Libya, Inc.: Coming Waste, Fraud and Other Forms of Plunder on a Grand Scale - by Stephen Lendman

Like in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, wherever America and its Western allies show up, pillaging is sure to follow. 

Libya is no exception, earmarked as another profit center to be exploited. A previous article discussed it, accessed through the following link:

This makes perfect sense:

Files Note Close C.I.A. Ties to Qaddafi Spy Unit

  Carving up the Libya Corpse for Profit - by Stephen Lendman

On September 1, dozens of predator states met in Paris to pick apart Libya's bones even though it's breathing, if barely.

We've seen it before, notably in Iraq under Paul Bremer's 100 orders that turned the country into a cutthroat capitalist laboratory. Baghdad was open for business at fire sale prices with US and other Western firms having first dibs on everything.

  Besieging and Terror Bombing Sirte - by Stephen Lendman

In his latest article, Paul Craig Roberts calls America "utterly corrupt" and "certainly no 'light unto the world.' "

In her latest article, Diana Johnstone said "Western 'democracy' is in danger of being gradually reduced to a mere ideological excuse to attack, ravage and pillage other people's countries."

NATO and the Transitional National Council in Libya (or Paris or Qatar or wherever it is) have reportedly given the people of Sirte ten days to surrender or face a full military onslaught.  This is not a cease-fire.  While they await their fate, they will still be subject to shelling by artillery and British warships and NATO bombing, and food, water and electricity have already been cut off.

This closely resembles the tactics adopted toward resistance-held towns in Iraq by U.S. occupation forces.  On October 14th 2004, the Washington Post reported that water and electricity supplies to Falluja had been cut off, one day before the start of Ramadan.  Its population was then starved and bombarded for 3 weeks before the final assault by U.S. Marines that killed 4,000 to 6,000 civilians.

by William Blum
www.killinghope.org

"Why are you attacking us? Why are you killing our children? Why are you destroying our infrastructure?"
– Television address by Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi, April 30, 2011

A few hours later NATO hit a target in Tripoli, killing Gaddafi's 29-year-old son Saif al-Arab, three of Gaddafi's grandchildren, all under twelve years of age, and several friends and neighbors.

In his TV address, Gaddafi had appealed to the NATO nations for a cease-fire and negotiations after six weeks of bombings and cruise missile attacks against his country.

Well, let's see if we can derive some understanding of the complex Libyan turmoil.

  Libya: NATO's Latest Charnel House - by Stephen Lendman

When NATO intervenes, massacres, mass destruction, and indescribable human misery follow. Libya is its latest trophy.

Judge for yourself. View another snapshot of the "new Libya:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=9A9TsImz9Ys

By Michael Collins

Monday was the day we heard that the "US believes al-Qa'ida is on the verge of defeat after deputy leader's death" as The Independent headlined the story. It stood out as a sequel to the recent United States action in Pakistan, which brought us the news (but not the body) of a dead Osama bin Laden. It appears that a US operated drone killed Al Qaeda's top deputy, one Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, a Libyan citizen. After decades as a jihadist, Rahman is no more. But is that the end of al Qaeda?

On Tuesday, foreign affairs columnist for the Asia Times, Pepe Escobar, published a remarkable column outlining the command structure of the victorious NATO backed military leaders. Abdelhakim Belhaj, the lead commander of the rebels, and the two top regional commanders were once affiliated with the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LGIF). In fact, commander Belhaj was once the subject of a US led extraordinary rendition (aka torture) in Thailand. About the time the US planned to send Belhaj to Guantanamo Bay, the Gaddafi's government requested his return to Libya.