April 2011 - Centre for Civil Society - University of KwaZulu-Natal

Peace & Justice Movement Should Oppose U.S.-Led Intervention in Libya
Amy Goodman interviews Horace Campbell 3 March 2011
Forces aligned with Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi have launched
new assaults to regain control of several towns captured in a popular
uprising over the past two weeks. Meanwhile, two U.S. warships have
moved through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea toward Libya
under orders by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. As talk of potential
Western military intervention grows, we speak to Horace Campbell, a
professor of African American studies and political science at Syracuse
University. [includes rush transcript]
AMY GOODMAN: Fierce battles are raging in Libya. Forces loyal to Libyan
leader Muammar Gaddafi have launched new assaults in an attempt to
regain control of several towns that had been captured in a popular
uprising over the past two weeks. Earlier today, Gaddafi addressed a small
group of supporters in Tripoli in his third televised appearance. He
continued to deny the uprising, saying opposition to him is led by terrorists
and al-Qaeda operatives.
Meanwhile, two U.S. warships have moved through the Suez Canal into the
Mediterranean after orders by Defense Secretary Robert Gates that they
should move closer to Libya.
For more, we’re joined by Horace Campbell, professor of African American
studies and political science at Syracuse University. He has written
extensively on African politics. He’s joining us now by Democracy Now!
video stream from his home.
Welcome to Democracy Now!, Professor Campbell. Your assessment of the
situation in Libya?
HORACE CAMPBELL: Good morning, and thank you very much for inviting
us to discuss the delicate stage of the revolutionary situation in Libya. It is
a situation that is maturing with very deliberate and great dangers for the
revolutionaries. The dangers arise from the number of areas: firstly, the
massacres that have been carried out by Gaddafi himself and the clique
around Gaddafi; secondly, the dangers that are coming from the
drumbeats for Western military intervention; and thirdly, the kind of
xenophobia and anti-African, anti-black sentiment that is being stirred up
among sectors of the Libyans who are rising up for freedom.
So, in this context, it is very important, for those who have solidarity with
the Libyan uprising, with those fighting for freedom in Libya, to support
the people in Libya and at the same time denounce any attempts by the
Western forces, especially elements within the administration in the
United States and Great Britain, for military intervention. We have seen,
from the testimony yesterday from the Senate Armed Services Committee,
that the chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is very uncomfortable with
military intervention. Gates is uncomfortable with military intervention.
And the head of the U.S. Central Command said that a no-fly zone is a
prelude to military activity. And then, on the other hand, we have John
McCain, Joe Lieberman, Hillary Clinton and those forces calling for a no-fly
zone and military intervention.
It is up to the peace and justice movement in this country to stand with
one voice to say that at this point any kind of humanitarian intervention