Just when we thought things could not get any more interesting, Libya’s Moammar Kadafi had yet another mental breakdown last week, and this time, he is taking it out on the Libyans with spite. Who would have thought he would completely turn on his own people? Even Mubarak didn’t dare do that and he had all the American support any one leader could possibly have had, unless they were Israeli, of course.
Kadafi’s reign has lasted a staggering 42 years, and he and his son, Seif al-Islam, have made it clear he is not going down without a fight. Aljazeera stated, “In televised speech, Libyan leader blames youths inspired by regional events for uprising and vows to die a “martyr.” In other words, Kadafi actually thinks his firebombing and shooting Libyan citizens is for their own good.
So what if Libyans have been “inspired” by what has gone on in Egypt? Libyans are, perhaps, the people who need revolution the most because of the regime they have been forced to live under for decades, and now that they are pursuing it, Kadafi — along with the West — expect them to let go so easily? Wrong. The Libyan people — both young and old — have made it clear their cause is unwavering.
Earlier last week, when asked about the situation in Libya and the US stance regarding the situation, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton remained quite vague in her reply, where she stated, “This bloodshed is completely unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the Government of Libya to respect the universal rights of their own people, including their right to free expression and assembly.” She went on to state that the situation in Yemen is alarming as well.
Libya is an oil exporter who’s goods spread toward Europe and its surrounding regions. If the fight continues or gets worse, the supply in other countries will decrease, affecting the importing countries’ gas prices and potentially our own prices, as if four dollars a gallon wasn’t high enough.
This is the fight of the Libyan people; it is up to them to come together and make the political changes they want to see happen. Egypt did it, and now its Libya’s turn. Granted, Egypt’s president didn’t threaten to wipe out his entire country’s population, and so far, more Libyans have died than Moroccans and Egyptians combined; however, the daunting task which lies ahead the Libyans will undoubtedly be accomplished. While all is not well, one thing is definitely clear: ‘Tis the season to be revolutionary, and the Middle East has definitely been hit the hardest.
Dina Al-Hayek is a senior political science major and a columnist for the Daily 49er.
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