International Community: Abbas 130 – Abdeljalil 14

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is continuing to urge all African states to call for Gadhafi to stand down and to expel pro-Gadhafi diplomats. She hopes to reinforce the ranks of nations who recognize the National Transitional Council (CNT) as “legitimately” representing the Libyan people, as if international recognition was a fundamental element of national sovereignty. Even if that were the case, why the delay in applying the same formula to the Palestinian Authority? If we want to do that, we’re obliged to face the facts.

Mahmoud Abbas (Palestine) and Mohamed Abdelaziz (SADR) are soundly beating the leader of the Libyan rebellion, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, in the race for international recognition. Despite this clear-cut result, the rights of two peoples under the yoke of foreign powers continue to be totally ignored. But what is really driving Clinton?

The South African President Jacob Zuma has the answer. The Alliance currently at war with Libya, which includes the United States, is not driven in the least by humanitarian motives. Here’s the South African president’s verdict: the Alliance is now overriding the U.N. Security Council’s resolution in order to effect a regime change, using political assassinations and a foreign military occupation, something which Algeria also does not want. So if the aim of Clinton’s appeal is ultimately to occupy a neighboring country, neither South Africa nor Algeria, nor Africa in general, is willing to support this plan.

Other countries of the African continent continue, by preference, to align themselves with the African Union (AU) by calling for a cease-fire and an opening of negotiations. Strengthened by the West’s support, the CNT is rejecting the AU’s offer, which has been accepted by Gadhafi however. African carrot – American stick. Military difficulties, which are further complicating the situation on the ground and signaling additional suffering for the Libyan people, can be added to these beginnings of a diplomatic snub. That’s one way of looking at it. NATO Supreme Allied Commander of Allied Command Transformation, the French General Stéphane Abrial, believes that if the operations last much longer, the question of resources will become critical.

Another note of caution comes from U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, warning the allies about their lack of military investment and political will, which could compromise the effectiveness of the mission in Libya. And the head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Mark Stanhope, warned that Britain’s priorities in Libya would have to be reconsidered if the operation launched by NATO lasted more than six months. So is it time to look for distractions? Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the (European) Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, is trying. She has been to Israel and the Palestinian territories to try to relaunch the peace process.

It’s time to forget any misunderstandings about Libya. But six months is plenty of time for this explosive cocktail to blow up in the Alliance’s face. The Palestinian Abbas meanwhile, on the verge of having the Palestinian state recognized as a member of the U.N., will try to improve his result. He is already leading the race with international recognition for a Palestinian state from 130 countries, compared to only 14 for the Libyan Abdul Jalil.