Afghans pay the price for Libya war
The cruellest irony of the impending Libyan war is that the fate of the Afghan people is now virtually sealed. They aren’t regaining their national sovereignty and ‘liberation’ from foreign occupation for a long, long time to come. If anyone thought 2014 would bring the light at the end of the tunnel, just forget it. The war in the Hindu Kush is getting telescoped into time infinite. It is getting ’synergy’ from an unexpected quarter - Europe. How are the Afghan people’s fate and that of Muammar Gaddafi getting intertwined? This is how.
Read through the secret, classified proceedings of the NATO meeting of defence ministers in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. The NATO meet turned out to be US Secretary of State Robert Gates’ show, which wasn’t quite unexpected. But what emerged was that it was Gates’ finest hour - delivering when the boss wanted it most.
Gates is a great diplomat indeed. He did a masterly thing when speculations began and europe started pressing for a ‘no-fly’ zone over Libya, by explaining how bloody it will be to venture into any such frightful thing that can have unforeseen downstream consequences by way of death and destruction. Meanwhile, he went to West Point and made a historic speech where he declared that any future defence secretary who advised the American president to go for war ought to have his ‘head examined’ and that was the moral he learnt from the bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shrewd man, Gates. He was making the opening gambit - like a poker player, he was building up tension.
US gets little, if any, oil from Gaddafi. US already seized 35 billion dollars in banks belonging to Libya and the funds won’t see the light of day - not at least until America is one hundred percent satisfied that democracy has indeed arrived without an iota of doubt, in Tripoli (which may happen in a few decades). US routinely seizes funds belonging to others as the very first smart thing to do - US owes several billion dollars to Iran that were seized in 1979 - but such a big money garb as the Libyan loot has never taken place in US diplomatic history.
So, Gates knew US is in no tearing hurry like the Europeans.
But that isn’t how with the europeans. Their companies have made extensive investments in Libya, which need to be salvaged. The Libyan oil must flow and, preferably, the oil fields must be brought under control.
Gates knew Europeans won’t go for a solo act, and would have no choice but to take cover under NATO. Which means, Gates knew europeans are offering themselves on a platter. A 180-degree turn from the Iraq war diplomacy when Coiln Powell had to go from capital to capital in europe seeking understanding or at least restraint from sarcasm and carping criticism. The shoe is now on the other foot. Europe needs no persuasion.
Thus, Gates arrived in Brussels with the look of a disdainful statesman who has seen it all and is quintessentially sceptical of wars and ‘no-fly’ zones. He could size up in a split-second the bizarre turn of events. And Gates began talking - about Afghanistan.
He lashed out at the “ill-timed, precipitous, or uncoordinated” moves by the europeans to withdraw their military contingents from Afghanistan. He said in a voice dripping with irritation that he was hearing “too much talk about leaving” Afghanistan from European capitals, “and not enough talk about getting the job done right.” He admonished his european colleagues like a school teacher telling them to “resist the urge to do what is politically expedient and have the courage of patience.”
Gates then came to the point.
According to the text of his ‘confidential’ speech, he said the US “will not sacrifice the significant gains made to date, or the lives lost, for a political gesture.” And he called on the partner nations to adopt the same approach. He said “uncoordinated national drawdowns would risk the gains made to date,” and that any troop reductions should be coordinated through the coalition commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Army General David Petraeus.
Gates’ blunt two-part message wasn’t lost on the wise, experienced european leaders. One: ‘Buddies, you can’t say on the one hand that your public opinion is against the war in Afghanistan and then on the other hand demand a brand new war in Libya.’ Two: ‘Guys, make no mistake, it’s Petraeus who calls the shots out there in the Hindu Kush, do you hear me?’ Gates concluded by demanding that coalition nations should contribute one billion euros annually to the development of the Afghan security forces.
Most important, Gates called on the coalition to adopt an “in together, out together” approach. Hm… Boy, what an idiom! Even Rumsfeld couldn’t think it up. Gates added, “We can’t lose our momentum, or give in to calls to withdraw before the job is finished.” He told the delegates, “America is willing to shoulder the lion’s share of the burden, but we cannot do it alone.” Europeans, it seems, heard out Gates in stunned silence.
But someone who was in the closed conference room at the NATO Hqs heard a deep chuckle - like the gurgling noise of a mirthful mountain stream as it finds its way around rocks - when Gates spoke. It seems the noise had a vague Dutch accent. I’m sure it was that of NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen. AFR is all for more NATO wars - in Central Asia, Middle East and even Asia-Pacific - so that NATO gains in stature by the hour as the only global security organisation. AFR also knows Gates shares the same ‘vision’ for NATO and how important the alliance is for Washington’s global strategies and for the recasting of America’s post-cold war era trans-Atlantic leadership role.
The intriguing part is that both AFR and Gates know the europeans know it, too. But isn’t that how you play poker? Gates says he plans to retire this year. But like Mark Twain said about having quit smoking many a time, Gates has retired many a time. Maybe, if there is a job opening in Foggy Bottom, Gates might reconsider? It’s really up to Obama. The Brussels show was indisputably Gates’. He went into the NATO meeting with half-a-war in hand and came out with two full wars firmed up - and the alliance in tow.
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Source: Mr. Bhadrakumar article of India Punchline
Guys what you say ... very interesting thoughts
---------- Post added at 01:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:55 PM ----------
Afghans pay the price for Libya war
The cruellest irony of the impending Libyan war is that the fate of the Afghan people is now virtually sealed. They arent regaining their national sovereignty and liberation from foreign occupation for a long, long time to come. If anyone thought 2014 would bring the light at the end of the tunnel, just forget it. The war in the Hindu Kush is getting telescoped into time infinite. It is getting synergy from an unexpected quarter - Europe. How are the Afghan peoples fate and that of Muammar Gaddafi getting intertwined? This is how.
Read through the secret, classified proceedings of the NATO meeting of defence ministers in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. The NATO meet turned out to be US Secretary of State Robert Gates show, which wasnt quite unexpected. But what emerged was that it was Gates finest hour - delivering when the boss wanted it most.
Gates is a great diplomat indeed. He did a masterly thing when speculations began and europe started pressing for a no-fly zone over Libya, by explaining how bloody it will be to venture into any such frightful thing that can have unforeseen downstream consequences by way of death and destruction. Meanwhile, he went to West Point and made a historic speech where he declared that any future defence secretary who advised the American president to go for war ought to have his head examined and that was the moral he learnt from the bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shrewd man, Gates. He was making the opening gambit - like a poker player, he was building up tension.
US gets little, if any, oil from Gaddafi. US already seized 35 billion dollars in banks belonging to Libya and the funds wont see the light of day - not at least until America is one hundred percent satisfied that democracy has indeed arrived without an iota of doubt, in Tripoli (which may happen in a few decades). US routinely seizes funds belonging to others as the very first smart thing to do - US owes several billion dollars to Iran that were seized in 1979 - but such a big money garb as the Libyan loot has never taken place in US diplomatic history.
So, Gates knew US is in no tearing hurry like the Europeans.
But that isnt how with the europeans. Their companies have made extensive investments in Libya, which need to be salvaged. The Libyan oil must flow and, preferably, the oil fields must be brought under control.
Gates knew Europeans wont go for a solo act, and would have no choice but to take cover under NATO. Which means, Gates knew europeans are offering themselves on a platter. A 180-degree turn from the Iraq war diplomacy when Coiln Powell had to go from capital to capital in europe seeking understanding or at least restraint from sarcasm and carping criticism. The shoe is now on the other foot. Europe needs no persuasion.
Thus, Gates arrived in Brussels with the look of a disdainful statesman who has seen it all and is quintessentially sceptical of wars and no-fly zones. He could size up in a split-second the bizarre turn of events. And Gates began talking - about Afghanistan.
He lashed out at the ill-timed, precipitous, or uncoordinated moves by the europeans to withdraw their military contingents from Afghanistan. He said in a voice dripping with irritation that he was hearing too much talk about leaving Afghanistan from European capitals, and not enough talk about getting the job done right. He admonished his european colleagues like a school teacher telling them to resist the urge to do what is politically expedient and have the courage of patience.
Gates then came to the point.
According to the text of his confidential speech, he said the US will not sacrifice the significant gains made to date, or the lives lost, for a political gesture. And he called on the partner nations to adopt the same approach. He said uncoordinated national drawdowns would risk the gains made to date, and that any troop reductions should be coordinated through the coalition commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Army General David Petraeus.
Gates blunt two-part message wasnt lost on the wise, experienced european leaders. One: Buddies, you cant say on the one hand that your public opinion is against the war in Afghanistan and then on the other hand demand a brand new war in Libya. Two: Guys, make no mistake, its Petraeus who calls the shots out there in the Hindu Kush, do you hear me? Gates concluded by demanding that coalition nations should contribute one billion euros annually to the development of the Afghan security forces.
Most important, Gates called on the coalition to adopt an in together, out together approach. Hm
Boy, what an idiom! Even Rumsfeld couldnt think it up. Gates added, We cant lose our momentum, or give in to calls to withdraw before the job is finished. He told the delegates, America is willing to shoulder the lions share of the burden, but we cannot do it alone. Europeans, it seems, heard out Gates in stunned silence.
But someone who was in the closed conference room at the NATO Hqs heard a deep chuckle - like the gurgling noise of a mirthful mountain stream as it finds its way around rocks - when Gates spoke. It seems the noise had a vague Dutch accent. Im sure it was that of NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen. AFR is all for more NATO wars - in Central Asia, Middle East and even Asia-Pacific - so that NATO gains in stature by the hour as the only global security organisation. AFR also knows Gates shares the same vision for NATO and how important the alliance is for Washingtons global strategies and for the recasting of Americas post-cold war era trans-Atlantic leadership role.
The intriguing part is that both AFR and Gates know the europeans know it, too. But isnt that how you play poker? Gates says he plans to retire this year. But like Mark Twain said about having quit smoking many a time, Gates has retired many a time. Maybe, if there is a job opening in Foggy Bottom, Gates might reconsider? Its really up to Obama. The Brussels show was indisputably Gates. He went into the NATO meeting with half-a-war in hand and came out with two full wars firmed up - and the alliance in tow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Mr. Bhadrakumar article of India Punchline
Guys what you say ... very interesting thoughts
