Ron Paul: Libyan War Is About Commercial Business and Unconstitutional

Before NATO aggression Libya has the highest living standard in Africa. The "United Nations Development Program (UNDP) confirms that the country has excellent prospects for achieving United Nations development goals by 2015. NATO's war will have already dashed those hopes. A collapse like the one in Iraq now threatens this African country.
There has been little reaching the European public in the past few years about Libya, whose relationship with the West had normalized. European leaders met with their Libyan counterpart Muammar al-Gadhafi often, kiss his hand and business flourished. In the course of preparation for war, with help of obedient western media, the country was suddenly transformed into the most evil dictatorship.
But if Libyan society can really be reduced to the "revolutionary leader" Gadhafi in Libya, is the situation really worse than in a hundred other countries and are there not many more factors that determine the living conditions of a country, besides Western-style "freedoms"?
Even according to Amnesty International's country reports of human rights conditions, that of Libya differs little from many other countries; regarding the Arab allies in the NATO war alliance, such as Saudi Arabia, it is even much worse.
The UN Human Rights Council has praised the country in its latest report on the "universal periodic review" of Libya, which was made late last year, even for its progress on human rights. (Just Google UN Praised Libya's Human Rights Record, Mathaba, April 8, 2011)
The Libyans were in a good shape and have a lot to lose from the NATO intervention.
The relatively high standard of living also explains why Gadhafi definitely still has support in the country — particularly, according to Libya expert Andreas Dittmann, among the older generations, who remember the old days.
When in 1969 the U.S. and the British-backed King Idris was overthrown, Libya was still a poor, undeveloped country weighed down by its colonial past despite ongoing western control oil exports that began in 1961. The gradual nationalization of oil production allowed for accelerated economic development and rapid improvements in living conditions.
In 2008, the GDP per capita, expressed in purchasing power, according to UNDP Database, reached $16,200 U.S. (For comparison, the GDP of Egypt was in the same year $5,900, that of Algeria and Tunisia $8,000.)
High standard of living achieved
After government revenue, supported by rising oil prices, living conditions have clearly improved. In January 2011 the country was ranked 53rd on the HDI index, better than all other African countries and also better than the richer and Western-backed Saudi Arabia.
The life expectancy rose to 74.5 years and was the highest in Africa. According to the UNDP "The government provides all citizens with free health care and achieved high coverage in the most basic health areas."
The illiteracy rate dropped to 11.6 percent in Libya, and is well below that of Egypt (33.6 percent), Algeria (27.4 percent), Tunisia (22 percent) and Saudi Arabia (14.5 percent). (See Human Development Report 2010)
The UNDP certified that Libya has also made "a significant progress in gender equality," particularly in the fields of education and health.
In view of these achievements, the positive Human Rights assessment of developments in Libya should hardly be a surprise.
The example of Iraq
In 1980, Iraq also had a relatively high living standard, even higher than that of Libya. This collapsed massively under the murderous UN embargo [1990-2003]. Their "liberation" from Saddam Hussein then toppled Iraqi society completely into the abyss. The collapse is still going on.
Millions of Iraqis are starving, and the lack of food is still increasing. Half of the nearly 30 million people are now living in extreme poverty. Some 55 percent have no clean drinking water, 80 percent are not connected to the sewage system. Electricity is available only an hour here, an hour there; the once good health and education systems are flattened. Iraq had been recognized by UNESCO in 1987 for its education system; illiteracy had been almost eliminated. Now, the illiteracy rate has already increased to over 25 percent in some areas it is already 40-50 percent among women.
There is no reason to assume that a "regime change" in Libya enforced by the NATO states would come out much better for the country (not to mention a long civil war and partition of the country altogether). Finally, the attacking forces and their agenda is almost identical and in many ways the leadership of the insurgency resembles the Iraqis that the U.S. set up in the government there — that is, radical Islamic organizations and pro-Western, neo-liberal advocates of a complete opening to imperialism, and privatization of the economy of the country.

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[americaisbacktrump]

Ron Paul does not know a lot about Libya or Gadaffi but he has the instinct and the moral character to know that this act of international piracy is wrong. This is the sort of person America and the world desperatly needs as president; uncorrupted by NWO. But because he does not want to fight any more wars for Israel the zionist lobby in the US will use every means fair and foul to destroy him and they largely control US the and Western media either through ownership or influence..

[miamiorlando1]

Exactly - The US has no business in these other countries killing people. This is not American. Interesting that a war was started in one of the top countries in Africa. African Americans should speak out on this. Interesting how African Americans stand by and say nothing with people of color being killed all over the world. There are no "white" countries being attacked - ever....

[MovingUpp]

what's with the fucked up audio in this interview?

[LovemeAquarius]

Ohoooooooooooooooo......still there are some intelligent people left in america who could understand whats going on.

I thought all americans are stupids.

[notbrainwashed0]

Obama is murder !

[johnnydswing]

Honest great man! I believe your words of wisdom and peace! Ron Paul 2012

[Skip3643]

McCain is liar and has no soul 1.4 Million dead In Iraq Mr McCain now 75,000 Dead in Libya and you refer to this as Humanitarian Aid War mongers need to Face War Crimes and maybe kuala lumpa War trial on Bush Blair and Cheney may just be enough to show you can not get it all your own ways "Let Justice Prevail"

[crogaecr]

What a great guy.