The operation Odyssey Dawn marked the beginning of military intervention in Libya, another war mission with which the western powers aim at protecting the economical interests and geopolitical balance that they consider to be threatened by instability, local tensions, dictators and other leaders’ ambitions.

This is the most recent of the episodes that make the status of permanent war in which we live even clearer Years pass and scenarios change: from the Balkans (Bosnia, Kosovo) to the Maghreb, through the Middle East (Iraq) and Asia (Afghanistan); military operations names change - from international police operations to task forces against terrorism, through the deployment of interposition and deterrent forces and up to more relaxing definitions such as peace or humanitarian missions. But the fact is that the core and the means to carry them out never change: bombings and missiles - in short, this is war.

From the beginning it was clear that the revolt in Libya, although driven by insurrections that are shaking the North African and Middle East countries (Tunisia, Alger, Morocco, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain) showed traits of struggle for power between rival factions, linked to the territory and based on tribal membership (Tripolitania, Cirenaica and Fezzan). It was also evident that Libya's role at different levels in the Mediterranean scene (in gas and oil production, as western countries' financial associate, regional police, migration controller) would make the Qaddafi crisis become an international crisis. The bombings in Tripoli are nothing but proof of it.

A real, dirty and vile war, as any war, has started; its objectives do not match any of those that were declared, not the fall of Qaddafi, or the introduction of "democracy", or the protection of the population. The real objective is clear: to colonize Libya again, as a country of high importance for its energy resources and its strategic position through its balkanization. Secondly, although not less important, the military intervention aims at maintaining a state of permanent and global war and hiding the true emergencies (hunger and misery, environmental and nuclear disasters, mass migration, the supremacy of profit over needs) and to allow the riots and revolts to be crushed preemptively.

This is a war in which Italy participates hypocritically, not even assuming its own responsibilities; left and right parties are united in the same sort of pseudo –patriot statements, hiding behind Napolitano's indecent words to confuse and obfuscate consciences – a war in which our “beautiful country” will collect the crumbs, just like a vulture.

We are against this war as we are against all capitalist and imperialist wars. The only front we know is the social struggle against masters and their slaves. A front that unites all the exploited, regardless of their nation, race, language and culture and which confronts capitalist barbarism with no possibility for conciliation. This is a front to oppose the scope of today’s events, not simply to defend the last crumbs of peace and the bearable things left to us, but also to offer specific alternatives to the misery and barbarism of this world we live in, where they want to sink us more and more. Parades for peace are not enough; we must begin to build a different society.

AGAINST THE WARS OF CAPITAL
SOCIAL WAR FOR A DIFFERENT WORLD -
WITHOUT STATES, ARMIES OR EMPLOYERS

USI-AIT National Secretariat*

*USI-AIT has called for a strike against the war in Libia on April 15