The hypocrisy of the west

I’m happy living here in the UK, people are friendly, the standards of living are good, the history of this country is amazing, the nature surrounding me in this green island is breath taking. But there’s one thing that gets my nerves and it’s the relationship that this country has with wars, and I’m talking about current, not past history.

I know that you can’t judge the people by its governments, but you will expect that people have some memory and try to act when their governments take the wrong decisions.

Seems that nobody learned any lessons from Afghanistan or Iraq. Nor the governments, nor the people.  Now there’s a new conflict in hand. Libya.

I’m far from being sympathetic with Gadaffi, if it depended on me I would like to see all the non-democratic leaders of the world gone for good. And this one in special has a long, long record of being a brutal one with his own people, and also a supporter of terrorism, and simply put a lunatic. However, he is not new on this; he has being in power for over 40 years! But the western powers have tolerate his deeds, looking to the other side all this time.

So now what has happened that is different? Why suddenly people realize he’s a bad person?  It’s very simple, they are not going to war for human rights, democracy or freedom as they like to sell their people, they are going to defend oil, gas and energy companies and investments. 

And that is what it get my nerves, that people forget so quickly.  The UK, USA, Italy and France have being arming this dictatorship for a long time. As recent as 2007, Tony Blair travelled to Tripoli to shake Gadaffi’s hand and sell hundreds of millions in weapons, from guns to anti-aircraft batteries and tanks.  In return Gadaffi let BP enter the country and invest billions.  The initial deal was £450 million one, and more and more were put in the table.  Where were those politicians that now want Gadaffi out and are so concern about the Libyan people then?  And the people? Why nobody wrote to their MPs to stop the arms dealing with a dictator that had a long record of abuse, torture and support of terrorism?   Do you remember who armed the Taliban and Hussein? Why then nobody said a word?

Of course the UK is not the only to blame. Why France run quickly to get their planes out?  Sarkozy signed with Gadaffi a 10 billion euros deal to supply nuclear energy to Libya. And he gave a very nice and posh state reception to Gadaffi just a few years ago.

The USA reassume diplomatic relations with Libya in 2004, and soon after Exxon and other US companies arrived with a smile in their faces to Tripoli, and of course more arms were sold to Gadaffi.

There’s lots of money the European countries got from Tripoli in exchange of weapons.

So now, all this billions of pounds are in danger, if the revolution succeeds and they didn’t intervene, there’s a big risk of losing lots and lots of money, so now the flag of freedom and the shout of democracy arises, and everybody claps because the winds of liberty are going to Libya. And why Libya and not Yemen, Bahrain or Saudi Arabia?

Yes, I would like to see Gadaffi gone, but I would had prefer that he was gone because the Libyans kick him out, and took control of their own destiny. Not because some oil, gas and energy deals were jeopardize.And the Arab people have shown that they don’t need to be saved by white ethical crusaders. They’re more than capable of toppling dictators and determining their own affairs. (see Egypt)

Yes, this is different from Iraq, because at least this war is not against international law, and there’s no lies about mass destruction weapons, and it’s not lead by a crazy Texan that said God tell him to go and fight.  So yes, it’s not the same, but after that war the UK and USA lose all moral authority, and we would expect them to know better than keep arming dictators and then when things go bad to business cry wolf!, I mean, freedom!   But let's remember another not so distance conflict, and how the bombing of ‘evil’ Yugoslavia in 1999, which destroyed much of Belgrade left at least 600 civilians dead.

And what moral authority the governments have, when they support and sold billions in weapons to that same dictatorship?.  And why nobody raise their voice when a few weeks ago David Cameron was selling more and more weapons in the middle east!?! Why nobody wrote to their MPs, or protest on the streets. 

Stop selling weapons to dictatorships, stop arming and supporting regimes that are oppressive, murderous, and who care nothing about human rights.  Stop picking and choosing where to fight for “freedom” only when the economic interest are in danger, stop all this hypocrisy now!!!  Then you will have the moral authority to give an opinion and intervene. 


Edit: I signed this petition on-line  to ask for a responsible selling of weapons, if you think is worth, sign it too.  Remember that petitions with more than 100,000 signatures will be discussed on the parliament.