Lybya

War or humanitarian intervention?

There is a difference between war and humanitarian intervention, or as I prefer to call it, a human security intervention. The current attacks on Libya, like the NATO air strikes over Yugoslavia in 1999, are intended for humanitarian ends, the protection of civilians but the means are those of war. Certainly the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 was a huge achievement just in time to prevent Gaddafi forces from overrunning Benghazi.

The resolution called on member states and regional organizations to ‘take all necessary measures… to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory’.

But are military attacks from the air an appropriate means? As Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League and potential candidate for Egyptian President, put it (even though he later retracted): ‘What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of a no-fly zone. What we want is the protection of civilians not the bombardment of more civilians.’ To read more kindly go to http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/libya_war_or_humanitarian_intervention/

Copyright © Mary Kaldor.

Barack Obama’s Image in Kenya Tarnished by Abortion Battle

. . . In July, Nairobi’s Catholic bishop told Church faithful to vote NO due to the abortion clause. On August 2nd a full-page ad appeared in the Daily Nation said that, “The Draft Constitution does NOT legalise abortion,” due to a clause stating “life begins at conception.” The ad went on to accuse Church leaders of continuing “to propagate outrageous and inflammatory falsehoods which deliberately misrepresent the proposed new laws.”In fact, the draft constitution, now approved, contains a clause legalizing abortion, and abortion groups were already preparing for the new laws. Marie Stopes, one of the world’s top abortion providers, began a program in April for texting service information directly to cell phones in Nairobi. In May, a group of medical practitioners released a document entitled, “Standards and Guidelines for Providing Lawful Safe Abortion Services in Kenya.”

Obama Congratulates Kenya for Passing Obama-Backed Constitution

WASHINGTON, DC, August 6, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On Thursday, President Obama praised Kenya for approving a controversial new constitution that liberalizes abortion laws and that partially implements Muslim Sharia law within Kenya’s borders.

“This was a significant step forward for Kenya’s democracy,” President Obama stated, “and the peaceful nature of the election was a testament to the character of the Kenyan people.”

The new constitution was approved by about 70% of voters. It permits abortion for the sake of the “health” of the mother – a term that opponents of unborn rights admit can be “broadly interpreted when need be” to help bring about abortion on demand.

Kenyan Voters Approve Pro-Abortion Constitution

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 5, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Preliminary results indicate that Kenyans have succumbed to U.S. and other pressures and approved a new Constitution that could dramatically liberalize abortion laws and partially institute Muslim Sharia law in Kenya.

African Union Submits to Pressure for Abortion as Cure for Maternal Deaths

KAMPALA, UGANDA, August 5 (C-FAM) The African Union (AU) finished its annual summit last week with governments agreeing to make maternal and child mortality a continent-wide priority. The summit ended with Member States extending the controversial, non-binding Maputo Plan of Action (PoA) for an additional five years and expanding new initiative called the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction on Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA).

Pressure was placed on the AU from UN agencies and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGO).

UK Announces Plan to Push Radical Sex Agenda on Developing Nations

NEW YORK, August 5 (C-FAM) Last week the United Kingdom (UK) announced a new maternal health initiative with an “unprecedented focus on family planning” for the developing world. The plan includes the promotion of abortion and sexual “rights” for children.

Kenya: Christians faced with dire choice in constitutional referendum

On August 4th, Kenyans will vote for or against the new proposed constitution. The choice is simple, but hardly fair: vote Yes or No for/against the WHOLE draft, all 264 points, including the contentious ones. The MAIN point of disagreement is article 26 on the Right to Life.