Changes

According to a Hillary staff email on April 14 Secretary of State Clinton traveled to Berlin for NATO meetings. Clinton is '''the driving force behind NATO adopting a communiqué that calls for Gaddafi's departure as a political objective, and lays out three clear military objectives:''' (1) end of attacks and threat of attacks on civilians; (2) the removal of Gaddafi forces; (3) [redacted from original]. The German government refuses to go along.<ref>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29143.htm</ref> On April 15 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the Berlin conference accuses the Obama administration of exceeding UNSC 1973 mandate and the agreements at the Paris summit. What started out as a mission to “protect civilians and enforce a no-fly zone,” has been transformed into an effort at "regime change" without having a clear understanding as to the nature of the rebel opposition.

According to a Hillary staff email on April 14 Secretary of State Clinton traveled to Berlin for NATO meetings. Clinton is '''the driving force behind NATO adopting a communiqué that calls for Gaddafi's departure as a political objective, and lays out three clear military objectives:''' (1) end of attacks and threat of attacks on civilians; (2) the removal of Gaddafi forces; (3) [redacted from original]. The German government refuses to go along.<ref>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article29143.htm</ref> On April 15 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the Berlin conference accuses the Obama administration of exceeding UNSC 1973 mandate and the agreements at the Paris summit. What started out as a mission to “protect civilians and enforce a no-fly zone,” has been transformed into an effort at "regime change" without having a clear understanding as to the nature of the rebel opposition.

On May 5, 2011 Sec. Hillary Clinton traveled to [[Rome]] for a Contact Group meeting. The Contact Group established a coordination system and a temporary financial mechanism to funnel money to the National Transitional Council.

On May 5, 2011 Sec. Hillary Clinton traveled to [[Rome]] for a Contact Group meeting. The Contact Group established a coordination system and a temporary financial mechanism to funnel money to the Transitional National Council.

On June 8 Sec. of State Clinton traveled to [[Abu Dhabi]] for another Contact Group meeting and holds a series of intense discussions with jihadi and rebel leaders.

On June 8 Sec. of State Clinton traveled to [[Abu Dhabi]] for another Contact Group meeting and holds a series of intense discussions with jihadi and rebel leaders.

On July 8, Clinton sent Asst. Sec. of State for the Near East Jeffrey Feltman, US Ambassador to Libya Gene Cretz, and a senior director at the [[National Security Council]] Derek Chollet, to meet with Gaddafi envoys in [[Tunis]] "to deliver a clear and firm message that the only way to move forward, is for Gaddafi to step down." Libyan representatives were confused, as to thinking the US had been an ally in fighting the radical Islamic jihadis, and now the Obama administration was using them to overthrow Gaddafi. On July 17 Alexandra Valiente, living in Tripoli, wrote:

On July 8, Clinton sent Asst. Sec. of State for the Near East Jeffrey Feltman, US Ambassador to Libya Gene Cretz, and a senior director at the [[National Security Council]] Derek Chollet, to meet with Gaddafi envoys in [[Tunis]] "to deliver a clear and firm message that the only way to move forward, is for Gaddafi to step down." Libyan representatives were confused, as to thinking the US had been an ally in fighting the radical Islamic jihadis, and now the Obama administration was using them to overthrow Gaddafi. On July 17 Alexandra Valiente, living in Tripoli, wrote:

{{Quotebox|The Coalition of the Willing had come to Libya to spare civilians from Gaddafi’s murderous madness. Four months later, the Libyan crowds have deserted “Liberated Benghazi” and are staging gigantic anti-NATO demonstrations. ...<!--The political and social structures in Libya stem from the authoctonous culture and are beyond the compehension of many Westerners. They are composed of a one-chamber system of participative democracy – which is particularly effective at the local level – in conjunction with a tribal forum, which is devoid of any legislative power but serves to integrate clan solidarities into political life. To this structure must be added “Leader” figure who exerts no legal power, only moral authority. No one is compelled to obey him, but the majority of the people do, just as they would spontaneously obey a senior member of their own family. On the whole, the political system runs smoothly and people display no fear of the police, except on occasions such as a coup attempt or the Abou Salim prison riot, both of which were violently repressed.--> at present, the Libyan people are convinced that such a crackdown never took place and that the Libyan air force never attacked any residential area either in Benghazi or in Tripoli. That portion of the population who believed at first the information relayed through [[mainstream media|international television networks]] now thinks very differently. In the meantime, people have had the chance to obtain direct testimonies from family and friends scattered throughout the country and have reached the conclusion that it was all a disinformation campaign....<!--Be that as it may, the principal NATO leaders have openly evoked another aim of this war, which certain members of the Coalition appear reluctant to endorse: Col. Gaddafi’s resignation, a euphemism for “regime change”. This has opened the door to a realm of confusion. On one hand, such a requirement has no legal foundation under the relevant UN resolutions nor is it in any way linked to the declared objective of protecting civilian populations. On the other hand, Col. Gaddafi’s resignation is neither here nor there since he does not exercise an institutional function, but only a moral authority derived from the social, and not political, structures. Finally, by what right are NATO members standing in the way of a democratic process and pretend to decide for the Libyan people that one of its leaders must be removed?

{{Quotebox|The Coalition of the Willing had come to Libya to spare civilians from Gaddafi’s murderous madness. Four months later, the Libyan crowds have deserted “Liberated Benghazi” and are staging gigantic anti-NATO demonstrations. ...<!--The political and social structures in Libya stem from the authoctonous culture and are beyond the compehension of many Westerners. They are composed of a one-chamber system of participative democracy – which is particularly effective at the local level – in conjunction with a tribal forum, which is devoid of any legislative power but serves to integrate clan solidarities into political life. To this structure must be added “Leader” figure who exerts no legal power, only moral authority. No one is compelled to obey him, but the majority of the people do, just as they would spontaneously obey a senior member of their own family. On the whole, the political system runs smoothly and people display no fear of the police, except on occasions such as a coup attempt or the Abou Salim prison riot, both of which were violently repressed.--> at present, the Libyan people are convinced that such a crackdown never took place and that the Libyan air force never attacked any residential area either in Benghazi or in Tripoli. That portion of the population who believed at first the information relayed through [[mainstream media|international television networks]] now thinks very differently. In the meantime, people have had the chance to obtain direct testimonies from family and friends scattered throughout the country and have reached the conclusion that it was all a disinformation campaign....<!--Be that as it may, the principal NATO leaders have openly evoked another aim of this war, which certain members of the Coalition appear reluctant to endorse: Col. Gaddafi’s resignation, a euphemism for “regime change”. This has opened the door to a realm of confusion. On one hand, such a requirement has no legal foundation under the relevant UN resolutions nor is it in any way linked to the declared objective of protecting civilian populations. On the other hand, Col. Gaddafi’s resignation is neither here nor there since he does not exercise an institutional function, but only a moral authority derived from the social, and not political, structures. Finally, by what right are NATO members standing in the way of a democratic process and pretend to decide for the Libyan people that one of its leaders must be removed?

This confusion in fact reveals that the war is driven by unavowed motives which are not shared by all the members of the Coalition of the Willing.--><br>The National Transitional Council (TNC) has been incapable of constituting a social base. Its provisional capital Benghazi used to be a city of 800 000 inhabitants. In February, hundreds of thousands turned out to celebrate its creation. Today, the “city liberated by the rebels” and “protected by NATO” is virtually a lifeless agglomeration with barely 15 000 inhabitants left, most of whom are people who don’t have the means to leave. The Benghazis did not flee the fighting; they fled from the new regime.<br>...according to most experts, the number of “rebel forces” has dropped to between 800 and 1 000 combatants, armed to the teeth by NATO, but incapable of playing a significant role in the absence of popular support. It is very likely that there are more NATO Special Forces commandos on the ground than the number of Libyan combatants they are supposed to oversee.<ref>https://libyadiary.wordpress.com/2011/07/17/nato-and-the-ingratitude-of-the-libyan-people/</ref>}}

This confusion in fact reveals that the war is driven by unavowed motives which are not shared by all the members of the Coalition of the Willing.--><br>The Transitional National Council (TNC) has been incapable of constituting a social base. Its provisional capital Benghazi used to be a city of 800 000 inhabitants. In February, hundreds of thousands turned out to celebrate its creation. Today, the “city liberated by the rebels” and “protected by NATO” is virtually a lifeless agglomeration with barely 15 000 inhabitants left, most of whom are people who don’t have the means to leave. The Benghazis did not flee the fighting; they fled from the new regime.<br>...according to most experts, the number of “rebel forces” has dropped to between 800 and 1 000 combatants, armed to the teeth by NATO, but incapable of playing a significant role in the absence of popular support. It is very likely that there are more NATO Special Forces commandos on the ground than the number of Libyan combatants they are supposed to oversee.<ref>https://libyadiary.wordpress.com/2011/07/17/nato-and-the-ingratitude-of-the-libyan-people/</ref>}}

On August 21 jihadis entered [[Tripoli]]. [[Sidney Blumenthal]] congratulated Hillary:

On August 21 jihadis entered [[Tripoli]]. [[Sidney Blumenthal]] congratulated Hillary: