Benghazidoc

Benghazidoc · @Benghazidoc

23rd Apr 2011 from Twitlonger

Some Libyans have viewed U.S. Senator John McCain’s visit to Benghazi with a mixture of happiness and suspicion, accusing him of trying to get his hands on the oil. People don’t act unless there is an incentive for them to do so. But, why is it that anyone who offers support—with the possible exception of Sheik Hamad, the Emir of Qatar—is immediately accused of only acting because of the oil?

McCain has been vocal about his support of the Free Libya movement from the very beginning. And on April 22, he followed up on his words by making a dangerous visit to a country in chaos. He is possibly the highest profile visitor to set foot in Free Libya.

What a boost his visit must have given to the morale of those in Libya. But he didn’t stop there. He made some incredibly strong statements during his visit, calling the freedom fighters heroes, confirming that they were not Al Qaida, and detailing Gadhafi’s options: exile in Venezuela with BFF Chavez, trial by the ICC, or the fate of Stalin and Hitler.

Regarding the oil, everyone had access to it through Gadhafi. France and England didn’t have to support Free Libya. They could have kept supporting Gadhafi and still gotten all the oil they needed. They could have taken the no involvement approach of Russia and China.

Even if the ultimate motivation is the oil, why does that matter? Gadhafi has been stealing it since the beginning, it’s not as though Libyans have ever benefitted from it. Is the oil worth more than the blood of our martyrs, than our freedom? To automatically suspect those take up Libya’s cause of doing so only because of the oil is unfair and disrespectful. It also belittles the efforts of the TNC and the men and women of Libya who are doing their best to build their country from scratch.

Libyans are grateful for the support and assistance of its allies; they show their gratitude every day as they wave the flags of their supporters. Conversely, Libyans will not forget who abandoned them.



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