九乡新闻网诛仙3.1转生:What's behind the Libya intervention? - People's Daily Online
来源：百度文库 编辑：九乡新闻网 时间：2024/04/29 06:12:40
What's behind the Libya intervention?
08:29, April 01, 2011 
Email | Print | Subscribe | Comments | Forum 
Increases the bookmark
twitter
facebook
digg
Google
Windowslive
Delicious
buzz
friendfeed
Linkedin
diigo
reddit
stumbleuponMany in China and throughout the world are questioning the motives of U.N. coalition forces as they continue their military action in Libya under the banner of humanitarian intervention and with the blessing of a U.N. Resolution despite mounting civilian casualties and the great risk of the nation sinking into civil war. As a matter of fact, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, Libya's leader, has been offering goodwill gestures to Western countries in the past decade. Qaddafi announced Libya voluntarily gave up the development of weapons of mass destruction in 2003. Libya accepted its responsibilities for the Lockerbie bombing and paid 2.7 billion U.S. dollars to compensate those victims' families.
The Libyan domestic oil industry absorbed a large amount of capital from Western countries, and oil companies in France, Italy and Spain have an important market share in Libya. In addition, Qaddafi voiced his opposition with al-Qaeda to cooperate with Western countries in anti-terrorism.
After all this, Qaddafi still cannot be accepted by Western countries and has become the target of military attacks this time. Why?
From Qaddafi's personal perspective, shifts in foreign policy are among the most important reasons that caused him to be targeted. In the early stages of the Qaddafi regime, he used violent methods to fight against Western countries and made many enemies. Although he tried to get close to them, it seems like they do not buy it. Even worse, Qaddafi had already been labeled as a textbook example of repression against civilians, so he was rebuffed with accusations and assault.
On a strategic level, Qaddafi's choice of words in his political rhetoric has also displeased Western countries, such as when he said he opposes the "New Crusade." Although Qaddafi was not necessarily aiming those words at Western countries, analysts believe that these political words actually have great power to encourage political mobilization and might even foster anti-Western sentiment.
Apart from above reasons, the thing that Western countries can least accept about Qaddafi is the political road on which he has been stepping. For years, Qaddafi has been advocating unifying country and regions, building powerful army and political organizations, oil nationalization, mobilizing middle and lower class public, carrying on land reforms and fighting against Western intervention. Although these goals are hard to realize, they are clearly in the direction of a revival of the Arab world.
The middle of the last century was the greatest period for the Arab world both in terms of international reputation and global influence. But the good times did not last long. The international position of the Arab world and the national security of Arab nations have been challenged often since the middle 1970s.
In recent years, the United States launched two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Israel also launched large-scale military attacks over Lebanon and Palestine. However, the Arab world could do nothing about that.
For Western countries, the status quo or even a new Arab world changed due to Western will is the best thing. But once a united Arab world is formed, the Western interests in this piece of land, with its large population and rich resources, will be affected badly.
The reason Libya is being "punished" by the Western coalition is mainly because the country has a big affect on Western interests. However, with the development of war and the overall global situation, the political goals of the intervention will be vaguer and vaguer.
By Wang Hanlu, People's Daily Online
Related Channel News
World
Related Reading
Libyan rebels fight for control of oil town
U.S. Navy Growler helps enforce no-fly zone over Libya
Coalition forces don't rule out arming Libyan rebels
China's attitude on Libya: Give peace a chance
Libya threatens to sue firms over rebel oil deals
Chinese President meets French counterpart, saying force is no solution to Libyan issue
President Hu Jintao meets with Sarkozy
China urges ceasefire in Libya, stresses diplomatic efforts
Libya rebels shout: 'Sarkozy, where are you?'
Thousands of refugees flee violence in Libya
Special Coverage
Survey for 2011 NPC and CPPCC Sessions 
Focus On China
Many AIDS 'patients' in China suffer from phobia
The Western Australian Publishes Aritlce by Chairman of CPPCC Jia Qinglin
Chinese embassy in DPRK mourns wartime Chinese martyrs
10,000 pay homage to legendary ancestor of Chinese
Observation network to monitor East China Sea
Chinese tourists top monthly arrivals in Australia for 1st time in Feb.
Radioactive water to pose little danger to China
460 mln Chinese mourn for deceased during Tomb-Sweeping Day holiday
Radioactive cesium detected in more Chinese regions amid Japan nuclear crisis
Chinese Premier calls for intensified fight against corruption as situation still "grave"
Hot Forum DicussionJapan’s disastrous water flowing into the Pacific, and fallout?
Libya: new arms race showcase
China's rise: knowns & unknowns
Chinese along LoC? India’s top general sounds warning
China becoming the Pacific's 'banker'?
Chinese suspects tried to smuggle military goods from US?
US Senator urges Taiwan F-16 sale