Jeff Byrne

    ONE of the biggest mistakes of the National Transitional Council (NTC) in Libya was its failure to disarm militants who fought to overthrow Colonel Moammar Gadhafi. Libya is now on the brink of chaos as these militias fight among themselves and seek revenge on the supporters of the deposed regime. Some are committing the same atrocities of the monster whose rule they fought to end. Chilling accounts of torture and murder emerge almost daily. And the NTC says it can do nothing.

    Hysteria erupted in Western countries when Russia and China exercised their rights to veto an Arab League recommendation aimed at ending the murderous bloodshed in Syria. Claims that China had followed Russia are floss. China merely exercised its long-standing policy of not interfering in another country’s internal affairs.

    And, what would have been Syria’s response to a U.N. Security Council recommendation that President Bashar al-Assad step aside? Why would he take any notice? The United States ignores the United Nations, unless it suits its purpose. Israel also does not respect it because nothing it comes up with suits its purpose. So, why would al-Assad care what the United Nations recommends?

    However, observers believe that removing Assad would plunge Syria into widespread sectarianism, a situation that now faces Libya.

    In Egypt, citizens are now rallying to overthrow another tyrant — the military council — which seems to have become entrenched using the Brotherhood of Islam as a cover. The dream of freedom for the citizens of Egypt, so far, remains just a dream.

    Iran, not an Arab country, is facing a clear and present threat from Israel, which seems to be itching to hit the button to destroy what it perceives as a nuclear threat. It claims Iran is close to producing a nuclear weapon that would threaten Israel and, consequently, the world. It is looking for a George W. Bush solution to a threat that does not exist, as in Iraq’s nonexistent weapons of mass destruction.

    Consider this: Nations that have nuclear weapons include the United States, Russia, China, India, Pakistan and, not least, North Korea. Only the United States has used nuclear mass destruction and, rightly or wrongly, that was against Japan in a time of war.

    Experts believe that Iran is one to three years away from developing nuclear capacity, which it claims is for peaceful purposes. Be that as it may, Iran knows full well that a nuclear attack on any nation in its vicinity would result in retaliation that would more likely wipe Iran from the map than Iran would wipe Israel from the map. Sanity needs to prevail on all sides.     

    Overthrowing a regime has so far shown that it merely replaces one tyrant with another, whether it be a strongman or a military council.

    Writing for The New York Times, an Egyptian, Anthony Shadid in Tripoli, observed graffiti on a wall in Quds Square, in the black of night. It read: “Because the price was the blood of our children, let us [unite], let us show tolerance and live together.” Indeed.

    But when the lights go out, no one is able to see. And, when the bombs rain down, no one is able to hear.

    There is no Arab spring. There never was. Instead, it would seem, a bitter and brutal Arab winter is nigh.

    (The author is a former Shenzhen Daily senior copy editor and writer.)