Democratic Palestine : 32 (ص 31)

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Democratic Palestine : 32 (ص 31)

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US Aggression on Libya
Different Excuse, Same Reason
For the fourth time since Reagan’s
coming to power, beginning in August
1981 and recently just weeks before the
end of his eight-year term, US
aggression against the sovereign state
of Libya reared its ugly head. It is
ironic that upon the accusation that the
Libyans were building «the world’s
largest chemical warfare factory at
Rabta» (Guardian, January Sth), the
US attacked Libyan planes, while its
own Federal Laboratories in Saltzberg,
Pennsylvania, up until a year ago were
shipping off CS and many other types
of poisonous gas bombs to Israel to use
against the intifada, causing tens of
deaths, spontaneous abortions and side
effects.
NOTHING NEW
The attack which took place on
January 4th came as no surprise. In
August of 1981, F-14 Tomcats of the
US Sixth Fleet shot down two Libyan
planes over the Gulf of Sidra on the
pretext of a territorial waters dispute.
The US forces purposely went within
the Gulf to prove that they basically
have the right to go anywhere they want
and to do military exercises with total
disrespect for the sovereignty of others.
Then, in March 1986, US naval units
deliberately crossed the northern
border of the gulf. When Libyan gun-
boats sailed out to challenge the Sixth
Fleet, two were sunk and a shore radar
installation was destroyed. The follow-
ing month, after accusations that Libya
was behind a bomb in a West Berlin
disco, which killed one American and
injured 60 others, 18 US F-111 and A-6
bombers attacked Tripoli and
Benghazi. Most recently, two Libyan
MiG-23 fighters were shot down within
12 minutes 70 miles off of Tobruk by
Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles fired
by two US F-14 fighters from the decks
of the super carrier USS John F. Ken-
nedy.
Although the excuses have changed
over the past eight years, the basic
reasons are the same. The US claimed
that the plant was intended to produce
poisonous gases which could be used in
chemical warfare, such as mustard gas
and chemical nerve agents, citing
Imhausen-Chemie AG, a West German
firm, for playing a central role in sup-
plying the Libyan plant.
THE TRUTH
Obviously one cannot take at face
value the US excuses given. There are
several objective and tangible reasons
why the US has continued an aggressive
policy towards Libya. First and
foremost, Libya opposes US imperialist
designs in the region. Qaddaffi is well- >
USS John F. Kennedy in the Mediterranean
se
Democratic Palestine, March 1989
29

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Democratic Palestine : 32

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