News

The Libya Conflict

• 21st Mar 2011

There is a fairly famous anti-war record called ‘Mrs McGrath’ which has not only been sung by Irish folk bands, like The Dubliners, but also by currently performing artists like Bruce Springsteen being perhaps the most notable. However, I do not really want to talk about music in this circumstance, but to use the record as a way to peg the debate on. Music is not my main worry at this time.

The most telling line from the tune is: “All foreign wars I do proclaim/Leave only blood and a mother’s pain” and my gut instinct that this war is wrong. Some of my friends are claiming that the conflict with Libya is for two reasons: to divert attention from the public spending cuts being made in the UK and to get their hands on the oil which Libya possesses. I somehow doubt this.

One role of the media to keep people informed about what is going on in the world and in a recent tweet Ed Miliband has announced his support for the military intervention. This means that it is not just the government who are against the brutality of Qaddafi. Also, as regards the oil theory, this seems to have less weight further still. Look at the facts, China, Germany, Spain and Greece (two of these nations abstained from the vote on the evening of 17/03/2011 and all of whom are abstaining from the conflict) all import more oil from Libya than France, the UK and the USA, the latter two only import a 7% combined total and are oil producing nations themselves. Also, there is no UN resolution to invade Libya, but to stop a backlash by the authorities and for regime change to come from the Libyan people. We do not know who the next regime will be and who they will sell their oil too – it is a problem for the next regime to decide.

So why is the war being fought? Well I heard on the news on Saturday night/Sunday morning that Qaddafi’s forces are shelling hospitals, also he has been given the opportunity to back down and withdraw his troops from the rebel controlled areas and stop the violence. It would seem the coalition is no longer tolerant of his practices.

I am aware that all battles takes two to tango, but I support the rebels who want freedom and democracy, which are concepts which the majority of the world enjoys at some level. The pre-intervention situation was that the rebels were using AK47s whilst facing government tanks, planes and missiles. Also, this is one case where the rebels have asked for help in fighting the Colonel, this is not like Egypt where Mubarak stood aside because the army decided to not enforced their president’s will. Another reason we have decided to do something is because of the case when we left the fighting in post-war Iraq. The rebels who tried to remove Saddam Hussein who were put were put down with the viciousness that only dictators know.

We should not forget that there is trouble brewing in other areas of the World. I have seen unconfirmed reports that there is a civil war developing in the Ivory Coast and Yemen. There is a UN presence already in Ivory Coast keeping an eye on proceedings and keeping Alassane Ouattara, the internationally accepted head of state, safe. There are other examples of military interventions, for example, Bosnia and Kosovo where there was just cause too.

It would be wrong to intervene in a country where no help has been asked for and there is not international support for action. There are pro-war songs, but no-one should think that war is the greater good. War can be used as a means to an end and stopping oppression is one of those ends and war can be seen as a lesser evil.

It would seem that Qaddafi is a presence, but one whom wants to go against the progress of history.