All previous experience indicates that the latest expert estimate of the money spent by the UK on bombing Libya – up to £1.75 billion – will prove in time to be an underestimate.
Yesterday saw the heaviest NATO attack of the entire war, on the very centre of Sirte, leading thousands of civilians to try to flee. They are largely unable to do so because of a cordon of checkpoints set up by their attackers, slowing movement to a standstill and very occasional crawl. This massive bombing was coordinated with what we must now call the Libyan government – the former TNC. That a military action by NATO rationalised as protecting civilians from the Libyan government, ends up with a far greater bombardment of civilians on behalf of a different Libyan government, is too terrible to call ironic. NATO’s mandate to “protect civilians” from the UN actually expires on Friday, so all this week we will see a massive crescendo in NATO bombing of towns before that deadline.
But let us put that cost to the UK in context. The whole world economy is being shaken, and the livelihoods of billions damaged, by the problems of French banks having to write off Greek debt. If as expected Greece repudiates 50% of its debt, the capital written off by French banks will be in sterling approximately £4 billion. The £1.75 billion would make a big hole in that. I am certainly not suggesting that money should have been given to Greece instead of blowing up Libya, I am merely pointing out that this is a significant amount of money to waste in terms of global capital sums.
Remember we did not have that £1,75 billion – we borrowed it from the banks, adding to the international debt crisis and your and my tax burden for the rest of our lives, and our children after us. And remember the UK contributed under 25% of the NATO effort in Libya – total wasted will be pushing £10 billion.
NATO members are at the absolute heart of the world financial crisis. The colossal squandering of incredible – and in some cases unaccountable – sums in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya are fundamental to the lack of fiscal control in these economies. Not a single media pundit has mentioned it.
Mary, sorry. I re-posted the first link again by mistake. The cluster bombs are on the next link. However, as you say it is terrifying and terrible for those on the receiving end. All weapons are abhorrent. Most commentators on this site I’m sure share that view.
I’d like to link Craig’s point about military expenditure’s significant share in the UK’s deficit to the absence of foreign policy from Ed Miliband’s conference speech – apart from his ritual praise of our brave soldiers, where he still dances to Murdoch’s tune. The speech was stuffed full of empty radicalism, and even lacked any new political clichés (Bliar’s speciality). One sentence showed clearly that he lives in cloud-cuckoo-land: “Millions of public servants deliver a fantastic service every day of every week. “ Sycophantic fantasy!
There is too a certain panic evidenced as regards NATO’s attempts at genocide in libya. The NATO has descended into the pit by using banned cluster munitions.
All this death and mayhem to protect the privately owned central banking system of the west, which has single handedly destroyed western civilisation.
Once again the morally disgusting banksters use the taxpayers to pay for there wars.
Time to ditch Mervyn King and nationalise the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. Money creation to remnain in the public realm. No more free rides for the Rothschilds and their ilk.
“having watched Gaddafi’s supply of Semtex to the IRA (ITV 1)”
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Some of the programme contained footage claimed to be ‘filmed by the IRA‘, however it is taken from a video game!!!
(see http://tinyurl.com/6fap8ng )
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How do we know that it wasn’t just a security services ruse that Libya sold weapons to the IRA?
Look at the case of Fintan O’Farrell, Declan Rafferty, and Michael McDonald, who were involved in a sting operation involving over 50 No. Mi5 & American Secret Service operatives. The 3 got 30 years each.
Let the sale go through, drop some gossip in, & there you have it LIBYA SOLD ARMS TO IRA.
Simples
and here too Holder
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/27/ira-footage-video-game-itv?newsfeed=true
“Remember we did not have that £1,75 billion – we borrowed it from the banks, adding to the international debt crisis and your and my tax burden for the rest of our lives, and our children after us. And remember the UK contributed under 25% of the NATO effort in Libya – total wasted will be pushing £10 billion.”
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It was the same with wars against the Americans and French in the 18th century. Money is always available for war. Finding a solution to this pandemic diplomatic disease is like finding a cure for cancer. Perhaps an amelioration is all that can be hoped for in a world as bad as ours, but perhaps we are not totally helpless. Some actions could ease the problems.
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1. The abolition of NATO. Many comments on this blog show NATO is a force for evil. Has it ever done any good? Who would join in petitioning parliaments and senates of the world for its abolition?
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2. Restructuring of the United Nations’ Security Council. This has certainly outlived its purpose. It was set up after the second world war and, as with most wars, the victorious got to share out the spoils. Russia, UK, US, France and China have since then been the five countries that have wielded all the power at top level. There is no representation for Africa, The Middle East, Australasia or South America, and a lot of other places much bigger than the UK and France. Such countries have to toady up to the big five. Who would join in petitioning parliaments and senates of the world for a more representative restructuring?
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3. Abolition, or severe restructuring, of Mega-financial organisations and banks. How can wars be financed when the banks financing them, and I’m not sure anybody knows, any more than me, which banks finance their country’s wars, have no ascertainable assets? Who finances NATO? Ron Paul is right when he says governments just print money which devalues the real fiscal worth of their economies. This printed money is a farcical phantom. Like Craig says we, and future generations, are going to be paying for these wars forever with money we do not have. Even the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are of little, if any, value. When money is lent to developing countries, it is lent with ties. If a dam, or other project, is financed the bank that lends the money wants something in return, and to get it there is a whole maze of non-accountable companies with untraceable financial structures as easy to challenge as Blair’s functions as peace envoy to the Middle East. All this has got to stop. Who would join in petitioning parliaments and senates of the world for a restructured, accountable and fairer world financial system?
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I know I would, if somebody more accomplished, who can get these petitions going, would set the ball in motion. I believe petitions have more persuasive clout than marches. They enable armchair activists. People do have power. Politicians do have to get themselves re-elected. Make sure they hear our voice.
Holder, your link comes up with the message “This video has been removed by the user” with a subtitle “Sorry about that”. I wonder who the user is.
On reading Mary’s Guardian link I suspect the games company, or ITV.
Green was CEO of HSBC and is now Baron Green of Hurpierpoint. He is also an ordained priest in the Church of England,[5] having studied at the Ming Hua Theological College whilst he was in Hong Kong, and is the author of the book Serving God? Serving Mammon?.[6]Wikipedia.
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He is also a hypocrite.
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From a Reuters article published today:
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‘Firms from Britain and France, which led the NATO bombing campaign against Gaddafi’s forces, are in the forefront of the race for business, though they say they expect no special treatment.
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“They (the Libyans) are not naïve, they expect it to be profitable to us, but they’re not going to do us any favors. It will be competitive,” Stephen Green, Britain’s trade and investment minister, told a meeting of British executives in London’.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/27/us-libya-idUSTRE7810I820110927
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In besieged Sirte, from a reprinted Times article, ‘Long lines of civilian vehicles were leaving after a night of NATO air attacks on the town. Rebel forces fighting for the National Transitional Council added artillery and mortar fire.
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The people leaving the town, many looking scared, said conditions inside Sirte were disastrous. They made claims which, if verified, are a challenge for NATO – which operates under a UN mandate to protect civilians – saying the NATO bombing raids hit homes, schools and hospitals.
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“It was worse than awful,” said Riab Safran, 28, as his car was searched by rebel fighters outside Sirte. His family had slept on the beach because the houses were being bombed, he said. “They hit all kinds of buildings – schools, hospitals,” he said’.
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{http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/civilians-accuse-nato-of-massacre-in-sirte-raids/story-e6frg6so-1226148378383}
I’m re-posting Mary’s last link without the curly brackets.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/civilians-accuse-nato-of-massacre-in-sirte-raids/story-e6frg6so-1226148378383
s/be Baron Green of Hurstpierpoint.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Green,_Baron_Green_of_Hurstpierpoint
And from the above link.
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“Italian energy giant Eni said yesterday it had resumed oil production in Libya. By Monday, 15 major wells had been tapped, producing 31,900 barrels of oil a day.”
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Any connection between this and a more buoyant European economic market?
The real “cost” in Libya – human life – what price?
Nostalgic viewers may regard the
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“ITV: ‘IRA’ footage was from video game” débâcle
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http://bit.ly/pGK9hx
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as merely the latest delayed-action consequence of the Thatcher/Murdoch telly legacy.
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World in Action, First Tuesday, Death on the Rock, rest in peace.
On which topic — the effective extirpation of troublesome journalism from ITV by the Herald of Free Enterprise as central sub-clause of her deal with the Dirty Digger — this highly illuminating but little viewed autopsy at London’s Frontline Club, before TV professionals & an IBA regulator or two, is well worth watching. It also contains a few laughs:
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http://bit.ly/p1eEy5
You probably know that ITV is being ‘run’ by Adam Crozier, the character who started the process of privatisation of the Post Office. There he was receiving a salary of £835k and when he left, went off with £3.5m,
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jun/03/adam-crozier-royal-mail
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My post which used to arrive at 7.30am twenty years ago now comes at any time after 2.30pm and on Saturdays not at all. I live a mile or two from a town centre.
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Wonder what he is screwing out of ITV?
Hear, Hear, Craig. The Pavlovian response from the laptop bombardiers would be ‘would you have stood by and watched a massacre in Libya?’ Considering that we are doing exactly that in respect of Bahrain, Yemen, Sudan, Syria et al every day, and have contributed to some massacres ourselves, the question has no validity.
Further to the comment I made 6 comments above I found this petition which had only two signatures. It now should have three – but did not have last time I looked. If you sign it you will receive an email to your inbox with a link that supposedly adds your signature.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16747
Thanks for that link John G, the petition now has 4 signatories. I guess not many know of the NATO abolition petition, shall put it on my facebook page.
So here is another petition for me to sign, asking PR servants of the really powerful to listen to my wishes… so that, in time, if there are enough of us, we would make a difference in the election promises, which, if realised, would force the powerful elites… to chose an alternative route of proceeding with their goals.
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Hm. Would it be ethical to decline?
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I’m interested in destroying other people’s unaccountable powers over me. I normally do it by cutting my ties with them.
meanwhile, the US and Europe are going through the usual motions at the UN before sitting down for a good lunchtime chinwag with moishe.
Note the headline speaking of ‘attack’, instantly turned into ‘condemnation’ in the first sentences.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192851113137636.html
Israel acts with impunity annexing all of Jerusalem for housing, against its allies outspoken opposition, it believes that these illegal actions are without consequences, a fallacy, because these housing units mean no negotiations. Israel has given up the talking. Whilst they freed Samer Allawi, after spurious accusations with no evidence, a way of hitting out at Al Jazeera, they are still continuing their ethnic cleansing policies elsewhere. Hamas elected representatives sheltering on International red cross premises, was arrested because his jeruasalem permit was not renewed, so very much third Reich.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201192615334943280.html
It’s clear now there will be no TNC government. That has been postponed until the TNC controls all of Libya and that will never happen. On the contrary the TNC are losing ground. Cameron and co. therefore face total humiliation and likely war crimes charges or they must escalate the war through full scale invasion.
Thanks Ingo, if everybody puts it on their Facebook page, or better still creates an event, which is what I’ve done, the ball will soon get rolling and it will be thanks to everyone, and in particular Craig’s blog.
The porno purveyor Richard Desmond is setting up a health lottery, with minimum proceeds going to local areas.
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2042403/Health-lottery-Lotto-rival-accused-profiteering-charities.html
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I scanned the tabloids in the local supermarket and this item was on several front pages. Is it being promoted as a sop to the cuts being made to the NHS and its ultimate privatisation?
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Branson’s Assura has been given the contract locally to provide community nursing, sexual health services, children’s outpatient services, prison services, and a range of other non-acute areas of care which is the start of privatisation locally.
{http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2100268_nhs_surrey_changes_prompt_privatisation_fears}
PS The supermarket cafe currently sells coffee for £1.10. They are closing the operation in November and are handing the cafe over to one of those Costalot coffee outfits. I was told this morning that coffee will be £2.15 a cup, cooked breakfasts and hot food will go and they will sell only croissants and panini type things. The staff are offered replacement contracts of employment which if they do not offer the same terms will mean the good staff will leave. Therefore the public including the local elderly, the builders and workmen and those going to the adjoining hospital will be deprived of an affordable amenity. The hospital itself has a Costalot type coffee shop.
The UN gets more and more ridicolous, the decision of the un-security council
and the letgo of this bunch of Nato-destroyers makes it totally clear.
We have have to recognize, its the North atlantic Terror Organisation.
By the way what’s is this genetically modified tele-tubby, on top of the UN,
paid for, to protect civilians ?
Now France is threatining with another war. What is wrong with these people. Can they ever be satisfied with the bloodshed around on our planet?
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/france-iran-risks-attack-if-it-continues-to-develop-nuclear-program-1.387192
France is warning of another war, Axman, if you read your link carefully, general Arnaud is worried that it could destabilise the whole region and that the attack is most likely to be complicated and come from Israel. Not news.
What is news is that Irans foreign minster is asking the EU to come back to the table and talk as there are some new developments afoot.
We all know that this issue will be used as a pre text to go to war, that the US will join in, most likely within 24 hrs. if not at the same time and that they will want to carve up Iran for daring to suggest being paid in Euro’s for their oil.
This empirical hegemony of the petrodollar is ripping the planet apart to get its geostrategical ways, and then what?
BTW. Hope Suhayl is OK, he hasn’t posted for days.
Things never change
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAgangster.jpg
There were only 2 signatures on this petition this morning. Now it’s up to 9. And people have not come home from work yet. Who’s going to be the tenth?
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/16747
Ingo, Suhayl’s OK, I got an e-mail from him this morning, but his PC is still out of action – Windoze, you can guess the rest!