african union
hillary clinton
implementation of laws
libyan crisis
muammar gaddafi
nato
promoting peace and security
secretary of state
un
us
US, the AU Cannot Impose
By Netsbridge
@Netsbridge (3253)
United States
June 17, 2011 1:51pm CST
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is pleading with members of African Union (AU) to DEMAND that Muammar Gaddafi step down from power. Somehow, the US does not understand that the AU has no power to demand or make impositions upon any African nation, just as is (or is supposed to be) the case with the UN. The AU is simply an organization geared towards defending Africa's common interest and promoting peace and security in Africa, and as with UN, the AU depends upon member nations for implementation of laws or recommendations.
When the African Union (AU) months ago, after it stupidly signed Gaddafi's death warrant by unsuspectingly supporting absurd assault of Gaddafi and Libya, proposed resolution to the Libyan crisis, the US, UN, NATO and Libyan rebels all declined. And just before the outrageous bombings in Libya began months ago, Gaddafi humbly ran to AU for joint proposed resolution, but the US, UN and NATO still would not have it.
The situation in Libya probably would not have deteriorated to its present stage had the US, UN and NATO not gone into Libya for a regime change not a part of directive of UN Resolution 1973 they hid under! And after hundreds of lives unnecessarily lost, the US now begs Africans to DEMAND Gaddafi step down - http://allafrica.com/stories/201106160859.html
There is no doubt that previous dealings with African dim-wits has led to the erroneous assumption that Africans can always be easily pushed around. Well, Muammar Gaddafi is pure, untainted African material and not the slave of any Western bully. And, with all the poundings and misfortune brought about by this absurd assault upon Libya and Gaddafi, it is the assailants that cringe - http://allafrica.com/stories/201106170977.html
1 response
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
18 Jun 11
Members of the AU, like members of the UN, can only make suggestion or attempt to persuade another nation. But using the word DEMAND infers authoritatively or peremptorily. And remember that Hillary Clinton is an attorney, Thus, Clinton has either lost it or is hinting a peremptory strike on Libya.
@ScrambledBrains (143)
•
27 Jun 11
The African Union is pretty spineless anyway.
Also, you begin to wonder just how much African politicians are swayed by forces outside of the "official" government, like traditional tribal leaders - remember the stunt Gaddafi pulled where a large grouping of tribal chiefs proclaimed him something like "Africa's Chief of Chiefs"?
Given the USA's track record, I could see a scenario where they think getting rid of Gaddafi and the top leaders will magically solve the problem, and not consider the knock-on effects that their actions will have, such as being seen as an "invader/occupier" (see Iraq), seeing whichever new leader they endorse dismissed as an American stooge (see Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan), or fuelling the beliefs that this is yet another invasion for the sake of oil.
The other big problem I can see is winning the war, but not winning the peace. The Americans could get Gaddafi, but if there then isn't an effort made to bolster security, the country could quickly become unstable. We've heard rumours of rebel support in Tripoli and supposedly "loyalist" Gaddafi towns - what's to stop Gaddafi supporters hiding themselves in rebel cities like Benghazi?
Trying to grind Gaddafi's followers into the ground is simply not going to work - how the hell do you expect to find them in a country that's mostly desert, for a start?
