The reported death of Muammar Gaddafi is merely another indicator of the direction the US and the West is taking in its neverending quest for complete world domination. This marks the end of an era, which lasted decades upon decades. Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, interests in the Middle East and elsewhere in ‘the Muslim world’ dominated US foreign policies in an all out covert-turned-overt aggression toward Muslim people and Arab nations.
US identifies ‘The Enemy’
The goal was and is to secure oil, the fuel of imperialism. The Gulf War and invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan are strong indicators of the United States’ policy of securing a region’s resources. To solidify support among the general population, the administration of George W. Bush partook in what they called the “War on Terror.” Since 9/11, the face of a definite enemy was identified as Islamic Arabs from an area in the world dominated by the religion of Islam and of Arab people. The Bush Administration even had a name for them–Al Qaeda.
Having a character to pinpoint as an enemy allowed the US to easily mask its agenda of securing the fuel of world domination, while at the same time gaining control of a very strategic region of the world. Over the past 10 years, The US targeted Arab Muslims in the United States and abroad, using both the state and its agencies, Western militaries and paid mercenaries, and common citizens of the US.
The US makes its move beyond Iraq and Afghanistan
The transition began around late 2009 when, allegedly, a young man by the name of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (otherwise known as the ‘Underwear Bomber’) tried to detonate a bomb aboard a Northwest Arlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan. The failed attack was attributed to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. This paved the way or stepped up efforts by the US to begin its penetration into Yemen.
Yemen was a strategic target due to its seeming connection to 9/11 via the name “Al-Qaeda,” the group accused of orchestrating the 9/11 Attack. More importantly, it drew a link to American-born Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. Al-Awlaki was already on the radar of the United States, because he was accused of advising some 9/11 hijackers and influencing many other supposed terrorists in the US and elsewhere–including Abdulmutallab. It was in 2008 when Al-Awlaki allegedly sent a message of congratulations to Al-Shaabab, a Somali group designated as terrorists by the US government. In 2011, the United States began its drone strikes in Somalia, calling them attacks on ‘an al-Qaida hub,’ instead of calling them attacks on Al-Shabaab. This was not too long after NATO had already invaded Libya.
The ‘Arab Spring’ connection to Libya
During the so-called Arab Spring, which began in December 2010 and continued into 2011, rebels of Libya rose up against their Leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Gaddafi had been an enemy of the US since the 1980s; so much so that the US government went on an assaination attempt marathon in 1986. Gaddafi remained in power, but it was the establishment of the African Union in 2002–a body of over 50 states with an objection of “accelerating the political and socio-economic integration of the continent”–of which he was Chairman from 2009 to 2010, that made the uprising in Libya a much more significant event to the United States.
At the time of the establishment of the AU in 2002, the United States had only just began its major assault with the goal of shoring up domination in the Middle East. Because so much time, money, and resources were invested in that effort, breaking up cohesion among African nations had to be put off until an opportune time; Arab Spring was the perfect time for US intervention.
The US moves into Libya
Due to the unexpected uprising in Libya and the need for swift measures by the West to seize the perfect opportunity, quick action had to be taken. The entrance into African had already began via Somalia, but by 2011 the goals in the Middle East had not been fully obtained. But, through efforts over the past 10 years, significant ground had been made, and great US domination over the Middle East somewhat reigned. Of course, Iran was and is still an issue, with it being unclear whether military action will be taken or whether they will go the way of North Korea–essentially remaining in a holding pattern.
NATO swiftly moved in to seize the moment, arming rebels against Gaddafi’s regime, basically handing power over to their chosen group of leaders, the National Transitional Council (NTC). With the help of NATO fire power, Gaddafi was ousted from power and the NTC assumed the role of government of Libya. At that point in 2011, the US had control of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya by way of governments supportive of the United States.
Tying up loose ends in the Middle East
The only thing left to do was to tie up the loose ends. Saddam Hussein was killed in 2006. Osama bin Laden was killed. Anwar al-Awlaki was killed. And now, Muammar Gaddafi is dead. Those three were all killed in 2011. In this same month, October 2011, it was reported the United States would exit Iraq for good, leaving a force of under 200, and the withdrawal from Afghanistan would be expedited to have troops out of that nation earlier than forcasted.
Welcome to ‘Occupy Africa’
In October of 2011, President Barack Obama announced a small group of about 100 ‘advisors’ were deployed to central Africa–Uganda, as well as Southern Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo–to help fight the threat from a group called the Lord’s Resistance Army.
This shows that US chapter of the Middle East is now being closed, at least for the time being. Focus and efforts will now be put on Africa. The United States views this as a matter of urgency. It feels the need to gain its foothold in Africa before the African Union becomes too strong and a true force against the objectives and agenda of the West.
The steps were already in place. The face of the enemy is being changed. It started as an Arab Muslim in the Middle East. It began the transition to Arab Muslims in Africa. It is now transitioning to Muslim and Christian African. But, the overall theme is: Where are the resources and who is the United States’ way of seizing them?
Sidenote: NATO is commanded by The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Admiral James G. Stavridis, United States Navy. NATO specifically defines the role of SACEUR as “head of Allied Command Operations (ACO).” He is responsible to NATO’s highest military authority, the Military Committee, for the conduct of all NATO military operations.” Since the position was established in 1952, the role has been always been held by a general of the United States. Since 2003, the SACEUR has served as head of ACO. This means that NATO is commanded by the United States, including all recent action in Libya.
Sources:
Muammar Gaddafi killed as Sirte falls
Qaddafi son vows to fight to death, says dad OK
Qaddafi’s Son, Three Grandchildren Killed in NATO Strikes
Timeline of the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
Obama sending troops to central Africa to aid fight against rebels
Iraq Withdrawal: U.S. Abandoning Plans To Keep Troops In Country
Uganda: US help against rebels overdue
Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009
Related Articles:
11 comments »