The Stress of War

"We are ready for the fight, whether it will be a short or a long one. We will be victorious in the end. I am staying here, I am staying in my tent. I am here, I am here, I am here." Moammar Gadhafi

The international community with some notable exceptions would prefer he not be there. The design is that Moammar Gadhafi leave Libya. Leave Libya to Libyans who will make of it a normal country. Though guarantees there are none that this would evolve were he to leave. On enough occasions in other places when tyrants have been removed those who take their place have not brought the countries to a better condition, imposing their own unlimited tyrannies.

Now that the disorganized coalition without-a-leader has committed to defending the rebels, it is thought that the rebels will successfully regroup and retake what they lost before the successful advance of the Libyan government troops. But Gadhafi has no intention of permitting that. And his military continues to encircle and to bomb rebel-held positions. This is his country, his Libya.

It may very well be it will remain his Libya. At least the West of the country may. While the Eastern portion may go its own way. This civil war of attrition and retribution may very well result in partition, despite the best intentions of the international community gathered with its fighter jets to prevent any further air strikes by the government against its people.

And the air strikes, such as they are, are exceedingly unpopular with a significant collective force of the outside world, inclusive of Russia, India, China, Venezuela and Brazil. While the U.S. and France scoff at Libyan government claims that air strikes have killed dozens of Libyan civilians, Russia urges caution.

And where is the Arab League and the African Union in all of this? The Arab League, 22-nation strong with a wish to rid themselves of a major irritant, yet unwilling, despite being in possession of several persuasively large and well-armed militaries - in Egypt and Saudi Arabia for starters - of doing their own work.

The African Union, under-armed and under-enthused and ill trained capable of little.

The Western nations tasked as always to do the work that should be done by those within the geography. Who will then be considered guilty of imperial trespass and invidious designs on the priceless natural resources of the countries they invade. Allies they consider themselves, of the Arab and Muslim countries, acting with responsible alacrity to avert humanitarian disasters.

This is not how they are seen however, by the Arab Street which considers the West the fount of all evil. Responsible now also for the situation where Libyans are facing soaring medical shortages and rising food staples costs, and shortage of drugs to treat chronic diseases, and a growing incidence of mental health disorders from the stress of war.