Book review.
Massive waves of refugees and migrants fleeing ISIS ravaging failed state of Libya cause the EU grave security concern. Dabbed as ‘Afghanistan at European doorstep’ it became a den of an international terrorism and challenge to the European political leadership, once promising a quick fix to an internal conflict with help of the NATO iron fist.
Five years after the collapse of the Libyan state followed the assassination of its ultimate Guide, Colonel Gaddafi, 20/10/2011, the solution of the conflict if more of a ‘mirge in a desert’ than a tangible political project. However experts insist that the path to reconstituting lies through an objective assessment of the past decisions, actions and strategies leading to the catastrhopie.
In ‘L’Assassinat de Kadhafi’ (in French) Belgium journalist and expert on Africa, Dominique Ugeaux (65) shares his vision on the causes of the Libya disintegration,, poining at the murder of Colonel Gaddafi’s as a fatal error, leading the chain reaciton of events beyond control of Western powers.
In five years passed after the assassination no light was casted on the abhorrent end of Muammar Gaddafi that shocked the world confronted with the frames from videos of tortures in his last hours. Although immediately denoucnced by some high officials as a ‘war crime’ it was never properly investigated.
Insisting that this crime opened a ‘green light’ to ascendance of international jihad in Libya, and beyond, expanding to the whole of African continent, and further, tormenting the East and the West, Ugeux claims justice for the slain Colonel for the sake of Libyans and… Europeans, namely French, who played an imminent role in Libyan tragedy.
Without failure Domingique Ugeux is a firm believer in international law as the universal tool of progress, and ideals making the world turn round.
Reminiscent of his father a humanist and a man of principle, who inspired him to pick up a pen, Ugeaux dives into memories of events, and encounters month before Gaddafi’s death, evoking of his sherpa role in engaging legal defence to conoured by Western powers Colonel.
In vain, the abrupt and violent end of Gaddafi’s, shrouding his death in mystery, left efforts of legal defence of Jacques Vergés unsolicited.
However Ugeux does not accept the crime scene as an epilogue to Gaddafi’s rule: he insists on an objective investigation of political actions of responsible at power internationally – NATO, interpreting UN ‘resolution 1973’ protecting civilians, and nationally, especially addressing questions to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, discarding African Union diplomatic achievement to convince Gaddafi to step down, while misleading public opinion in France pointing at military actions as an ultimate solution.
The role of the opinion leaders is of a special attention in the author’s narrative, revealing the intrigues around the destruction of the Libyan leader – Ugeux blames philosopher Bernard-Henry Lévy (BHL) for de facto replacing the minister of foreign affairs, not a petty misdemeanor in a democratic country as France. While mixing into political discourse with his own perceptions, BHL initiative to engage as an activist to travel to Tripoli meeting opposition played not the least role in Gaddafi’s tragic fate.
Raising questions to former president Sarkozy, and his loyal friend BHL on consequences of the Libyan adventure the author is not just exercising in rhetoric, but is determined to raise public awareness that only with bringing responsible of breaching laws to justice one can attempt to construct better future for Libya and for all.
Festinatio justitiae est noverca infortunii…
‘Assassinat de Kadhafi’ Dominique Ugeux, Editions Surprendre, 2016
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