<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail-top-anchor"></div>
<div id="gmail-toolbar" class="gmail-toolbar-container">
</div><div class="gmail-container" lang="en-US" dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail-header gmail-reader-header gmail-reader-show-element">
<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/09/14/as-death-toll-in-libya-skyrockets-many-charge-natos-2011-overthrow-of-government-with-responsibility/">peoplesdispatch.org</a>
<div class="gmail-domain-border"></div>
<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">As death toll in Libya skyrockets, many charge NATO’s 2011 overthrow of government with responsibility</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Peoples Dispatch - September 14, 2023<br></div>
</div>
<hr>
<div class="gmail-content">
<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><div id="gmail-page">
<div>
<img src="cid:ii_lmjvqv700" alt="Floods-Libya.jpeg" width="392" height="221"><br><p>According to the mayor of Derna, at least 20% of the city has been destroyed.
</p><div>
<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/libya-floods-derna-storm-daniel-mass-graves-21b1a195d261a642e12dac13f0d19431#"><span>Latest reports</span></a><span> on the </span><a href="https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/09/12/5000-presumed-dead-due-to-flooding-in-libya/"><span>devastating floods</span></a><span>
in Libya confirm 11,300 deaths, with 10,100 still reported missing
following the cyclone that hit the city of Derna, destroying two dams.
Victims are being buried in mass graves as many lose hope of finding
still-missing loved ones. Rescue and relief efforts have been impeded by
the flooding, which has cut off the most affected areas.</span></p>
<p><span>According to the mayor of Derna, at least 20% of the city has been destroyed. The nearby coastal towns of </span><span>Bayda, al-Marj, Tobruk, and Taknis have also been affected. At least 20,000 people have been </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/world/middleeast/libya-floods-dams-collapse.html"><span>displaced</span></a><span>.</span></p>
<p><span>Many are pointing to the crumbling infrastructure in the
country as a source of blame. However, some have criticized Western
media coverage of the flooding for </span><a href="https://x.com/medialens/status/1702314144995926151?s=20"><span>omitting</span></a><span>
the Western role in the destruction of Libyan state structures in 2011,
ultimately leading to crumbling infrastructure. “It would be helpful if</span> <span>[the BBC] told the truth about what really happened to Libya,” wrote European Parliament member Mick Wallace on</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/wallacemick/status/1702252491746746485?s=20"><span>Twitter</span></a><span>.
“This country was illegally destroyed by NATO in 2011 and the entire
region is still suffering from the impact. Sadly those responsible have
not been held to account.”</span></p>
<p><span>On September 12, US President Joe Biden sent his condolences to
the Libyan people. The Barack Obama administration spearheaded the NATO
push to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi, resulting in the utter destruction
of Libya and the creation of, what some deem a “</span><a href="https://www.liberationnews.org/bourgeois-crocodile-tears-over-slavery-in-libya-masks-imperialists-role/"><span>modern-day slave state</span></a><span>”.
“We join the Libyan people in grieving the loss of too many lives cut
short, and send our hope to all those missing loved ones,” Biden</span> <a href="https://x.com/POTUS/status/1701655886307922222?s=20"><span>wrote</span></a><span> on Twitter.</span></p>
<p><span>“The US will overthrow your [government], completely destroy
your infrastructure, leave your country in a state of violence and
instability—then when the consequences come back around 10+ years later,
absolve itself of responsibility and only offer thoughts and prayers,”
wrote </span><i><span>Liberation News</span></i><span> editor Amanda Yee.</span></p>
<p><span>Libya has been experiencing a political crisis ever since the
toppling of Gaddafi’s administration and NATO invasion in 2011. Whilst
the UN Support Mission in Libya had promised that through its dialogue
efforts elections would be held in </span><a href="https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/12/21/political-uncertainty-continues-in-libya-a-year-after-elections-were-postponed/"><span>December 2021</span></a><span>, they have been </span><a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/libyas-elusive-elections-will-2023-be-year-elections"><span>postponed</span></a> <a href="https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/12/21/political-uncertainty-continues-in-libya-a-year-after-elections-were-postponed/"><span>since</span></a><span> then with no clear resolution in sight. The country has been plagued by violence as there are </span><a href="https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/08/16/27-dead-and-over-100-injured-in-fighting-between-two-militias-loyal-to-libyas-tripoli-based-government/"><span>two rival governments</span></a><span> backed by opposing militias and military establishments vying for power in the nation.</span></p>
<p><span>Abahlali baseMjondolo, a South African social movement of shack
dwellers, expressed solidarity with the Libyan people, as well as the
Moroccan people who have fallen victim to a </span><a href="https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/09/11/morocco-earthquake-death-toll-continues-to-climb-as-rescue-operations-intensify/"><span>devastating earthquake</span></a><span>.
“In all African countries the rich continue to enrich themselves at the
expense of the poor. The poor and working class are the ones that build
these cities but are left to die like flies,” Abahlali baseMjondolo
stated. “The life of the poor does not count at all in a government that
is only interested in profit maximization, whether via capitalist means
or political and government corruption. We are angry when the poor and
working class perish in the manner in which the people in Morocco and
Libya have been killed by the earthquake and the flood.”</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div></div></div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div></div>
</div>
</div>