Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, has laid the blame for the brutal assassination of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on the United States and NATO. Gaddafi was struck by Pentagon predator drones, French bombs and NTC rebel guns., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
'Gaddafi victim of US' targeted killing'
Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:15AM
Interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of Pan African News Wire
To view this interview log on to the website below. This is a very unbalanced segment with our (PANW) inability to adequately lay out our views on US-NATO involvement in Africa. The other guests were allowed to dominate the segment with their largely pro-western views of Libya. The lead-in was marked by an inaccurate chronology and unsubtantiated allegations that could serve to justify US-NATO policy in Africa.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/205761.html
Celebrations are in full swing by reactionaries and their allies in Libya following the reported assassination of Muammar Gaddafi who was killed by US drones, French Mirage fighterjets and counter-revolutionaries in his hometown of Sirte.
Many analysts, however, have been quick to point out that the end of Gaddafi era may be just the beginning of major challenges that lie ahead for Libyans.
Press TV has interviewed Abayomi Azikiwe, the editor of Pan-African News Wire, who says what Washington and its NATO allies are looking for in Libya is the country's riches.
The video offers the opinions of two additional guests: Aly el-Kabbani and Mohammed Abdul Malik.
The following is the transcription of the interview.
Press TV: US President Barack Obama made a statement in the White House regarding what has occurred [in Libya] and in his brief statement he also mentioned 'democracy'. When we look at what he is saying, the notion of democracy is something that is faltering in the US when we look at what the protest movements.
How could the West lay back after all that has happened because if it is going to be modeled after the ideals that Libyans have, that could sway from the movements that they were involved in, through the NATO and the air campaign with the US playing the back role, but will they leave Libyans alone to do that?
Azikiwe: No, we don't feel at all that Libya is going to be left alone. In fact [US Secretary of State] Hilary Clinton was just in Libya yesterday [October 19, 2011] calling for the capture and assassination of Muammar Gaddafi, it has been reported today that he was assassinated in Sirte, until we have full confirmation that it is the situation, we are going to refrain from making any definitive comments in regard to how the actual politics of the post-Gaddafi Libya will play out.
But I just want to mention that the US as well as the NATO countries have invested a tremendous amount of resources in bringing about this regime change. Since February they have been supporting the NTC, beginning March 19th, they engaged in both air strikes as well as strikes from the sea against numerous targets inside Libya. Over 20,000 sorties, over 9500 airstrikes, even today [October 20, 2011] there are reports that there were two major airstrikes in Sirte against this convoy that has been hit. It has been reported by the NTC and other international sources that this resulted in the wounding of Muammar Gaddafi and other people who were travelling along with him. If these reports are confirmed, then it shows very clearly that this assassination has to be credited to the US and NATO forces that have been attacking Libya now for over seven months.
So I don't believe for one minute that the US and the other NATO countries will leave Libya alone to find its own path in regard to some type of reconstruction of the country. First of all the resources that are in Libya are tremendous and we know very well that the US, Britain and France are very much interested in the oil industry there -to dominate that industry. They have already frozen over 120 billion dollars in Libyan assets, at the same time they are involved in the exploration of natural gas resources as well, particularly in western Europe. So I don't believe that Libya is going to be left alone to find its path into the future.
Press TV: Do you think the US is just going to leave the Libyans to themselves to figure things out in terms of formation of a government?
Azikiwe: No, they definitely are not going to leave Libya to itself. The US historically has had interests in Libya prior to the Revolution of September 1969. They had an air base in Libya which closed as a result of the leadership of Muammar Gaddafi. It is obvious that Hillary Clinton's involvement, the State Department as well as the intelligence officials, the Pentagon, have all been involved in this regime change process. Targeted assassination is the cornerstone of US foreign policy.
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