Translated "Avante!" article by Albano Nunes, Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee
Libya has recently returned to the headlines. Not to perceive a solution for the tragic situation in which the imperialist criminal aggression destroyed the country, in 2011. On the contrary. What is currently announced is that, summing up to the internal struggles of criminal sects, fighting for the country’s resources control, is the arrival of many more terrorist bands from the self-denominated “Islamic State” (IS) which, within Syria, and with the support of the Russian aviation, are being hardly fustigated by Bashar-al-Assad’s legitimate government army. For sure, imperialism has not given up its objectives in Syria, as proved by the interventionist escalade in progress, with Turkey bombing Syrian curds, which fight against the IS, Saudi Arabia preparing to convey troops to the field and NATO, under the pretext of the “refugee crisis”, displace forces to the region. But, before the serious difficulties in Syria, imperialism tries to reinforce its sinister role in the Maghreb and the African continent destabilization process, where, lately, its subversive action has been particularly intense.
Just as Syria, Libya is a prey, that imperialism ought not to easily let go. Its wealth and geo-strategic position is of the greatest importance. Besides, international reaction never pardoned Libya ,regarding its option towards sovereignty and non-alignment, the use of its enormous oil resources for the country’s development and, even before serious contradictions, its solidarity position towards Palestine or even the “ the African unity”, away from imperialist control.
Libya became an Italian colony, at the beginning of the XXth century and during World War II was the stage of important battles against Nazi hordes. Upon the Victory, and having its independence recognized in 1951, together with the imposition of a reactionary monarchy, Libya was practically under Great-Britain’s tutelage, and therefore installed, just as in other places within the Mediterranean, from Gibraltar unto Cyprus, military bases in order to impose its hegemony, along a vast area of the greatest strategic importance in terms of maritime routes and natural resources, confronting the ascending of the Arab and African peoples’ national liberation movement. Within that context, a group of young officers, under the then captain Muammar Kadhafi’s leadership, threw down the monarchy and proclaimed the Libya Arab Republic, expelling the British and North-American military members , nationalized the oil and took hand over other anti-feudal measures, of progressive nature, in September 1st, 1969.
Since it became an independent country, Libya, very seldom had a moment of peace. Imperialism, by using the most different pretexts, took different actions to throw down his regime, having bombed Tripoli and Bengazi in order to assassinate Kadhafi. Finally and by taking advantage from hesitations and contradictions coming from the Libyan leadership, did not hesitate to use NATO for the aggression war which destroyed the country.
Is Libya doomed to become the stage of imperialism world domain strategy and its people condemned to be used fodder of criminal bands, that, under an Islam falsification, serve the economic great groups’ interests, namely those that are linked related to the oil exploitation and trade, along with the great companies’ billionaire business, namely those related to the “reconstruction” of what their bombs destroy? Of course not. And the historic experience proves it. Whatever the difficulties, the people of Libya ought to regain the liberating path of the September revolution.