Anybody who has been following the unrest in countries in the Middle East must be getting a lesson in hypocrisy. Nightly we have seen politicians and political leaders from various countries bemoaning the fact that people in Libya are being fired upon and killed by Gaddafi’s military thugs. Yet, Gaddafi and his thugs have received weapons supplied from various countries in the so-called “international community.”
The Daily Telegraph U.K. of February 22, 2011 said this: “The shameless courting of the Libyan dictator by Tony Blair and key Labour ministers, despite his track record in financing terrorism, has come back to haunt the party.…” The article went on to state: “The Daily Telegraph revealed in September, 2009, that the SAS had spent six months training Libyan special forces.” [1]
Therefore, when one sees these huffing and puffing politicians talking about “human rights” and “crimes against humanity” one is inclined to think it is a wonder that they do not choke on their own hypocrisy. In fact, you can see these “political leaders” at G8 and G20 meetings shaking hands with dictators and despots and getting their pictures taken, all lined up together, in buddy, buddy mode. Cynical people might call the lineup a political “ rogues’ gallery” of the world!
Now the peoples’ of the world are being told by some of these political hypocrites that they care about “human rights” and “democracy and peace” after they have sold guns, tanks, bombs, aircraft, and tear gas etc. to their dictator friends who they now claim are persons non grata. The Independent, U.K. of February 19, 2011, said this: “How Britain taught Arab police forces all they know...Britain has authorised the export of tear gas, crowd-control ammunition, small-arms ammunition and door-breaching projectile launchers....” [2]
The Daily Mail, U.K. of February 22, 2011, reported this: “It is not wrong to sell arms, says David Cameron as he defends sale of weapons to Middle East…British-made equipment had been used by the Gaddafi regime to suppress unrest in Libya.” [3]
What a bunch of mealy mouthed hypocrites many of these politicians and political “leaders” are! A number of politicians of all political stripes and parties have groveled to this dictator Gaddafi. The National Post of February 22, 2011, in an article by John Ivison headlined, “Embracing Gaddafi was Canada’s shame” stated:
“The Liberal government knew Gaddafi was unhinged when it started playing footsy with him. In 1999, economic sanctions were lifted after Libya made two suspects of the Lockerbie bombing available for trial and agreed to pay compensation to the victims’ families. By 2004, prime minister Paul Martin was in Libya breaking bread with the old pariah in his tent in the desert, while two camels mated noisily outside....” [4]
Now the political mates of numerous dictators are now washing their hands like political Pontius Pilates and telling all and sundry that they no longer support these bloodthirsty regimes. No wonder decent people everywhere have to laugh when they see these political hypocrites mouthing platitudes about “human rights” and “human dignity.” To which one can only say, “ugh!”
Stephen J. Gray
March 2, 2011.
Endnotes:
[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8341483/How-Britain-danced-to-Gaddafis-tune.html
[2] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/how-britain-taught-arab-police-forces-all-they-know-2219270.html
[3] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359712/David-Cameron-Its-wrong-sell-arms-Middle-East.html
[4] http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/02/22/john-ivison-embracing-gaddafi-was-canadas-shame/
