Stephen Gowans talks with Phil Taylor
Libya and Washington
Published by Stephen Gowans
Stephen Gowans is the author of The Killer's Henchman: Capitalism and the Covid-19 Disaster (2022); Israel, A Beachhead in the Middle East: From European Colony to US Power Projection Platform (2019); Patriots, Traitors and Empires: The Story of Korea's Struggle for Freedom (2018); and Washington's Long War on Syria (2017). For notification of updates, send an e-mail to stephen.roy.gowans@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. View all posts by Stephen Gowans
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What's Left 
Where is tariq Ali conmending the BATO build up and the insurgents? or has he also suddenly found he likes jihadis?
but heres what he wrote that caused me to write to him( still no reply)
http://malaysiana1.blogspot.com/2011/03/muammar-qaddafis-farewell-speech-by.html
Socialists are among the lead supporters of the insurgents! The mind boggles..do they think with Gadaffi gone, Libya will become a workers paradise?
ALi on Gadaffis 1969 revolution:
‘Left commentator Tariq Ali dismissed the Gaddafi-led 1969 revolution as “all for show, like his ghosted science-fiction short stories”. But there was a political revolution in 1969 that did result in the nationalisation of the Libyan oil industry and some broader redistribution of oil wealth, which contrasted sharply with that in countries like Saudi Arabia. This was a nationalist revolution, similar to that led by Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt in 1952, which also called itself “socialist”.’
http://links.org.au/node/2179
well, Ali its all they and you have…dont spoil it..just because its not as pure as youd like
ah louis…ive already debunked that master of rote thinking. I emailed him the following(no reply as yet)
==============================
Hi Louiis
you may remember me as the fellow you banned…Not very democratic of you..But thats ok, as i know that having a blog means being the master of all you survey. Its a bit like running a dictatorship.
Your otherwise worth while blog is marred by pieces like this:
http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/diana-johnstone-qaddafi-and-the-dangers-of-rote-thinking
Your commentary on Diana Johnstones shrewd and excellent(from my point of view) article on Libya and Kosovo is an unfortunate eg of bilious emotion overrunning good observation : the parallels… Anyway i read her article, and I was afraid that like so many leftists, she be as she said:
‘Twelve years ago, most of the European left supported “the Kosovo war” that set NATO on the endless path it now pursues in Afghanistan. Having learned nothing, many seem ready for a repeat performance. A coalition of parties calling itself the European Left has issued a statement “strongly condemning the repression perpetrated by the criminal regime of Colonel Qaddafi” and urging the European Union “to condemn the use of force and to act promptly to protect the people that are peacefully demonstrating and struggling for their freedom’
http://www.counterpunch.org/johnstone03072011.html
But that means people like you Louis.
In your latest screed:
‘Qaddafi was given a pass because, like Mugabe, he was a fighter for national independence decades ago. But as a British playwright once put it: “…that was in another country; And besides, the wench is dead’
He still is a fighter for national independence, Louis…or dont you read the news?! Thats what even the two headed MSM/blogger monster cant quite erase….its just that the media dont call it that.
Gadaffi is not as you or the media portray him Meet the real Gadaffi:
‘Last year, Gadaffi apologized for the long history of Arab slave trade of black Africans, an issue that many other rulers prefer to ignore. His full words were as following:
“I regret the behavior of the Arabs… They brought African children to North Africa, they made them slaves, they sold them like animals, and they took them as slaves and traded them in a shameful way. I regret and I am ashamed when we remember these practices. I apologize for this,”
The European Union on the other hand refuses to apologize for what has been done. Formal apologizing is blocked by Britain, the Netherlands (I’m so proud), Portugal, and Spain. Of course these also happen to be the nations that share the greatest responsibility for what has happened over the centuries
http://davidrothscum.blogspot.com/2011/03/libyan-insurgents-begin-to-reverse.html
You wrote:
‘If she had been following newspaper coverage on Libya with the same assiduousness as she covered Yugoslavia, she would have not written such nonsense’
But thats it Louis, i have been following it, and MSM bears little relation to events on the ground(Gadaffi reported to be in Venezuela(debunked by Chavez and Gadaffi)), african mercenaries(since debunked by HRW), gadaffi jets strafing civilians(debunked by the russian general staff))…what has the media been reporting that is true ? It keeps getting debunked?
‘Johnstone is particularly upset with the left for joining in the “demonization” of Qaddaf’
As you abundantly prove.
‘As my readers should know by now, MRZine and Black Agenda Report have failed to do their due diligence on the question of racism in Libya, claiming falsely that the uprising that began last month ushered in a new phenomenon, namely racist pogroms against Black African workers in Libya. In reality, this is a long-standing problem that existed under Qaddaf’
the former is an embarrassment to leftists Louis, the latter ‘under Gadaffi’ (implies BY Gadaffi) is void of documentary evidene in your article,…please add…
‘Get that, comrades? Qaddafi warned that Europe would turn “black”.’
Right Comrade…But you forget that Libya IS very black, and that UNDER Gadaffi! The rebels in East Libya dont like this, and if the win, Libyas blackness will be bled away in a pogrom we cant guess at…But, lets go back to the Guardian piece you quote from….and see whose talking:
‘In a highly theatrical visit to Italy this week, Gaddafi warned that Europe would turn “black” unless it was more rigorous in turning back immigrants. Libya is a key transit point for illegal migration from Africa to Europe. The Libyan leader said the bill for sealing the crossing routes would be at least €5bn a year.’
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/01/eu-muammar-gaddafi-immigration
Gadaffi warned??? We dont have a direct quote from Gadaffi..just what he is alleged to have said..Surely you can do better in your demonisation campaign of the man, Louis..i mean, what sort of fucking(excuse my Proyectian) interpretor of events are you, if you cant learn the difference between direct speech and indirect attribution?
So you can howl on your blog against another blog/newsite like Davids or Global Research, which clown caricature of only reflected your own impotence…
http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/email-just-sent-to-michael-chossudovsky/
but the truth about Libya, Gadaffi and the insurgents is slowly seeping out, that im making sure of.
Who would Che support? if he were alive? a racist mix of monachians and jihadi islamists, or Gadaffi adn his brand of pan african socialism?
http://www.blackagendareport.com/content/libya-getting-it-right-revolutionary-pan-african-perspective
regards
http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/diana-johnstone-qaddafi-and-the-dangers-of-rote-thinking/
And where is Tariq Ali pushing for an invasion? I can’t find him doing that anywhere. Let’s see the proof.
ive yet to be able to listen to the interview but lets hope it address the role of Jihadis in Libya:
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20110223-jihadist-opportunities-libya
Diana Johnstone shows parallels with Kosovo
http://www.counterpunch.com/johnstone03072011.html
and the remarkable feat whereby bloggers and leftwing commentators show you cant teach old dogs at all! as many are joining the chorus to invade Libya and save the libyans from the dreaul tyrant Gadaffi!
Even Tariq Ali find himself in this mob…How much wiser are Chavez and Fidel!