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Friday 25 February 2011

Europe's renewed imperialism

The European Council on Foreign Relations, a shadow of its American counterpart, or rather the elite think tank it seeks to emulate in developing an imperial policy for Europe, is calling for intervention, military and other, into the affairs of sovereign Libya. Whatever one thinks of the protests and uprisings in the Arab world, one thing is clear: a great deal of the problems of those lands rest with European, followed by American, colonialism, the effects and legacies of which continue to haunt those lands.

Below is reproduced a call from the ECFR to intervene in Libya: it represents the dangerous initial stirrings of European-level neo-colonialism.


Briefing: What Europe needs to do on Libya

Europe must act decisively and rapidly to halt Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s murderous behaviour. Failure to do so will condemn many Libyans to their deaths, undermine the nascent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, and create problems for Europe on issues ranging from migration to terrorism.

In ‘What Europe needs to do on Libya’, ECFR senior policy fellow Daniel Korski outlines the concrete steps that European leaders must take, including:

1. Making it clear that the EU intends to freeze Libya’s assets.

2. Putting military options, including a no-fly zone or an intervention force, on the table

3. Developing support toanti-Gaddafi factions, include assistance to liberated areas and clandestine help. The EU should also support a gathering of Libyan opposition and offer safe haven to Libyan aircraft pilots and other security personnel who refuse to carry out illegal regime orders to attack civilians

4. Calling for an independent investigation into possible breaches of humanitarian law and appointing a War Crimes Coordinator.

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