HN has limited me so I am posting a comment here. First of all, I am happy that people are actually engaging instead of dismissing the comment as Russian Propaganda (though few have). Secondly, there are some important misconceptions:
1. One commenter said that "Nato did not invade Libya" and quoted UNSC resolution as the basis for intervention.
This is not true at all. NATO did invade Libya on 31st March 2011. The UNSC resolution enforced a no-fly zone. It did not order a NATO invasion. Please read the resolution again (UNSC 1973). NATO flew 26,500 sorties. NATO invasion ended on 31st October 2011. Article 5 wasn't invoked either (the only time it was invoked was when 9/11 happened). So there was no need for NATO to intervene. But it still did.
Even the no-fly zone was farcical. It was meant to protect civilians. General Carter Ham (Head of US Africa Command) said that he was unable to differentiate between civilians/rebels/Gaddafi forces etc [1]. It was up to the pilot to take a call on whether he wants to bomb or not. This was reported in April of 2011 as well where NATO planes erroneously bombed row of tanks that belong to the rebels [2] clearly violating UNSC resolution of protecting "civilians".
In fact, the Indian and Brazilian representatives made the same point, when the UNSC 1973 was tabled, that the resolution was too vague and poorly drafted. That is why both countries abstained from voting for the intervention in Libya.
2. One commenter asked: "Do you think the Cuban Missile Crisis looked anything like what we're seeing in Ukraine right now?"
We almost faced Nuclear Armageddon. So it was far worse. Right now, the situation is lopsided with Russia having clear dominance over Ukraine when it comes to nukes. Cuban Missile Crisis was even worse as it was two nuclear powers facing off. Check out "Black Saturday". US Navy dropped "signaling" depth charges on Soviet B-59 (which was a nuclear submarine). The captain of the submarine thought the War started and wanted to launch a nuke. It was averted thanks to a Commander who was onboard. If not for the Commander, it would have lead to end of the World as both countries would have launched counter nukes.
3. Why aren't you condemning Dictators/Authoritarians/Totalitarians etc?
I am condemning them. But I am sick and tired of the hypocrisy that we in the "Free World" exhibit. We try to project that we are "Angels" and here to rescue people from all evil. Yet we are the biggest perpetrators of violence in the World.
It is the "Free World" which invaded 84 countries, killed millions and displaced millions more. Hitler/Stalin/Mussolini/Putin/Mao/etc etc are all faces of evil. Just by statistics alone, we beat all of them combined. It is high time we acknowledge this and act on it. Stop unnecessary Wars. Stop setting precedents for others (Dictators/Extremists) to justify their wrongdoings.
1. One commenter said that "Nato did not invade Libya" and quoted UNSC resolution as the basis for intervention.
This is not true at all. NATO did invade Libya on 31st March 2011. The UNSC resolution enforced a no-fly zone. It did not order a NATO invasion. Please read the resolution again (UNSC 1973). NATO flew 26,500 sorties. NATO invasion ended on 31st October 2011. Article 5 wasn't invoked either (the only time it was invoked was when 9/11 happened). So there was no need for NATO to intervene. But it still did.
Even the no-fly zone was farcical. It was meant to protect civilians. General Carter Ham (Head of US Africa Command) said that he was unable to differentiate between civilians/rebels/Gaddafi forces etc [1]. It was up to the pilot to take a call on whether he wants to bomb or not. This was reported in April of 2011 as well where NATO planes erroneously bombed row of tanks that belong to the rebels [2] clearly violating UNSC resolution of protecting "civilians".
In fact, the Indian and Brazilian representatives made the same point, when the UNSC 1973 was tabled, that the resolution was too vague and poorly drafted. That is why both countries abstained from voting for the intervention in Libya.
[1]: https://www.wired.com/2011/03/u-s-general-we-wont-help-libya...
[2]: https://www.france24.com/en/20110408-doubt-over-nato-militar...
2. One commenter asked: "Do you think the Cuban Missile Crisis looked anything like what we're seeing in Ukraine right now?"
We almost faced Nuclear Armageddon. So it was far worse. Right now, the situation is lopsided with Russia having clear dominance over Ukraine when it comes to nukes. Cuban Missile Crisis was even worse as it was two nuclear powers facing off. Check out "Black Saturday". US Navy dropped "signaling" depth charges on Soviet B-59 (which was a nuclear submarine). The captain of the submarine thought the War started and wanted to launch a nuke. It was averted thanks to a Commander who was onboard. If not for the Commander, it would have lead to end of the World as both countries would have launched counter nukes.
3. Why aren't you condemning Dictators/Authoritarians/Totalitarians etc?
I am condemning them. But I am sick and tired of the hypocrisy that we in the "Free World" exhibit. We try to project that we are "Angels" and here to rescue people from all evil. Yet we are the biggest perpetrators of violence in the World.
It is the "Free World" which invaded 84 countries, killed millions and displaced millions more. Hitler/Stalin/Mussolini/Putin/Mao/etc etc are all faces of evil. Just by statistics alone, we beat all of them combined. It is high time we acknowledge this and act on it. Stop unnecessary Wars. Stop setting precedents for others (Dictators/Extremists) to justify their wrongdoings.