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DIGNITY
Action for Justice and Peace
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Statement of Cynthia McKinney
Newseum Press Conference on Libya
Thursday, 31 March 2011
I am pleased to stand with my colleagues today who are outraged at Nobel Peace
Laureate President Obama’s decision to wage war on Africa in Libya. At the
outset, let me state that Libya is home to tens of thousands or more of foreign
students and guest workers. The students come from Ethiopia, Eritrea, and
Somalia. The messages I have received from concerned Africans state that these
young innocent people, inaccurately labeled by the U.S. press as “black
mercenaries,” have been trapped in hostile territory and are hated by the
U.S.-allied Al Qaeda insurgents. The press forgot that Libya is in Africa and
that Libyans are Black!
I would also like to acknowledge the outrage of the Women International
Democratic Federation of Brazil that repudiates the invasion of Libya. They
point specifically to the depressed state of women in pre-Qaddafi Libya and how
women now have positions that had once been denied to them. They note in their
communiqué that the National Front of the Salvation of Libya has been financed
by the C.I.A. since 1981 and that its headquarters is in Washington, D.C.
In fact, I have received messages and phone calls from people literally all
over the world who are outraged at this action. And because the media cannot
be relied upon to tell the truth, I repeat the call that I received directly
from Libya yesterday for international observers to go to Libya to tell the
world the truth. I would go.
Sadly, President Obama’s justification for war provides answers that don’t
answer, explanations that don’t explain, and conclusions that don’t
conclude. Reports continue to emerge of the US ties to the so-called rebel
leaders: the latest being that Khalifa Hifter, latest leader of the rebel
army, spent much of the past 20 years in Langley, Virginia. He didn’t even
move to Baltimore to disguise the relationship! Moreover, General Wesley
Clarke told us that Libya was on the U.W. hitlist ten years ago!
This is nothing new. This operation smells very much like so many other Africa
operations fueled by U.S.-supported individuals who become a rebel force able
to threaten an inconvenient leader who stands up to the U.S. This particular
play has been repeated in Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory
Coast, and Angola and Mozambique before them. We are not blind; we recognize
this play. And the use of depleted uranium will cause health effects for
generations to come.
Pentagon Secretary Gates said “Libya is not part of our vital interest.” Then
why are we there? Herein lies the conundrum. President Obama has authorized
secret support for its rebels in Libya, just like Miami’s Cuban community has
received for decades.
Sadly, our President has chosen to spend $600 million per week in addition to
other war costs at a time when the Black community is melting. As of the most
recent Economic Policy Institute study, average Black family wealth was $2,000
while that of Whites was $94,600. President Obama has done nothing to address
the disparities that have existed in this country since slavery. Clearly, our
President should focus on home and improving the lot of the people of this
country before launching another war.
Finally, I must say something about the ugly hate language that is emanating
more and more from Black political voices. Any politician seeking votes by
exacerbating divisions in our country does not deserve our votes. I’m speaking
specifically about the unfortunate remarks of Herman Cain who should know
better.
I stand with those who support the right of self-determination of the Libyan
people, including their right to resolve differences without interference from
outsiders.
--
http://dignity.ning.com/
http://www.enduswars.org
http://www.livestream.com/dignity
http://www.twitter.com/dignityaction
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http://www.myspace.com/runcynthiarun
http://www.twitter.com/cynthiamckinney
http://www.facebook.com/CynthiaMcKinney
http://www.youtube.com/runcynthiarun
Silence is the deadliest weapon of mass destruction.
Visit DIGNITY at: http://dignity.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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