Libyan strongman Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime is teetering.But because of his willingness to use brute force to crush the expanding rebellion, he will hold power for a while longer.A settlement of the conflict is needed to save lives. A negotiation for his exit is a wise course. Or else Libya will descend into full-scale civil war among its ethnic tribes, leading to the possible break-up of the State and loss of countless lives. It is understandable that the international community (through the UN) wants to take actions against the despotic Gaddafi to save lives. Global powers are talking about military intervention to protect lives from Gaddafi's air force that has been bombing opposition strongholds indiscriminately and killing people at will. But that plan for a no-fly zone is not likely to get off the ground since Russia and China will veto such requests at the UN.
Nato and the European Union could pursue such actions on their own as British Prime Minister David Cameron is suggesting but it will come under stiff opposition and anger Russia, which has friendly relations with Gaddafi, and force it to come to Gaddafi's rescue. Any outside intervention will exacerbate the situation and worsen conditions, leading to full-scale civil war and hurting rather than helping the democracy movement. In fact, protesters have asked foreigners not to intervene for they want to topple Gaddafi by themselves. Gaddafi is defiant and not prepared to exit the scene.A face-saving way has to be found to allow him to leave with grace the way Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Ben Ali of Tunisia were allowed to leave gracefully.
Gaddafi has to be replaced with a leader who has the confidence and respect of the various tribal groups to bring healing and unite the nation. This calls for negotiations, not military intervention, to save the country.The latter risks the loss of many lives as Gaddafi is prepared to bomb the entire country.
No global power has influence on the Libyan strongman to regulate his behaviour and/or do the right thing as Ben Ali and Mubarak did. Unlike Tunisia and Egypt where the US and the Europeans had strong influence and could direct their lackeys (whom they supported to deny the democratic aspirations of the Arabs) to leave town, Gaddafi will want to go down as a "martyr," not concerned with how many of his country folks he takes down with him.
Like most other dictators, he is concerned only with perpetuating his self-rule. Gaddafi has not recognised as yet that he is finished. Someone has to tell him that Libyans will not allow him to rule them again. Libyans are waiting for Gaddafi's day of reckoning. Indeed, Arabs are waiting for the day of reckoning of so many other corrupt, despotic, evil, tyrannical dictators (monarchs) whose only goal in office is to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor. People supported Gaddafi's coup against the oppressive monarch and his rantings against the West, viewing him as a progressive ruler who meant well for Arabs and Africans.And Gaddafi did a lot for his country during his early years with the oil wealth.
But as years went by, Libyans became increasingly disenchanted with Gaddafi, who began to brutalise his critics and opponents, not dissimilar to actions taken by dictators of other countries, including Forbes Burnham of Guyana.
Gaddafi betrayed the ideals of the revolution against an Arab feudal monarch.While anti-imperialist actions were noble and supported by the Third World, Gaddafi began to behave erratically. Instead of further developing Libya, he frittered away wealth on lofty goals while seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Libyans became fed up of Gaddafi and were waiting for an opportunity to rebel. Now they have gotten it. But the country is seriously divided by tribal warfare which has become intensified since the uprising began a month ago.Gaddafi is pitting groups against one another to save his regime. That is taking innocent lives and buying him time. A way has to be found to increase the pressure on Gaddafi to end the violence and find a negotiated way for him to leave office in order to save lives.
Vishnu Bisram
via e-mail
