FOREIGN policy experts have already tagged President Jacob Zuma's mission to persuade the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to stop the military campaign against Gaddafi as"mission impossible".
The experts say this is so because Nato is committed to bombing Gaddafi out of power. Developments show that Nato intends sticking to this decision regardless of the costs to the very Libyan civilians it claims it is committed to protecting.
The decision also disregards historical lessons that military regime changes have never achieved political stability in the long run. One only has to look at Iraq and Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, it is this kind of intransigence among Western powers that has historically cost the countries in which they claim to be committed to introducing or restoring democracy.
The situation in Libya is further compounded by the imperialistic and self-serving actions such as France's decision to supply the rebels with arms.
Such actions undermine any effort by the African Union to find the much-needed peaceful solution to the crisis in Libya.
Finding such a solution can only happen if Nato and its political masters - who include France - get off their high horses and realise that the days of militarism are over. Today's democratic changes are ushered in by peaceful revolutions. This includes engaging the perceived enemies of democracy.
As for the rebels, they must rise to the occasion and show that they are indeed committed to achieving a stable and democratic Libya by accepting the AU's peace road map.
Zuma's hard Libya road
FOREIGN policy experts have already tagged President Jacob Zuma's mission to persuade the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to stop the military campaign against Gaddafi as"mission impossible".
The experts say this is so because Nato is committed to bombing Gaddafi out of power. Developments show that Nato intends sticking to this decision regardless of the costs to the very Libyan civilians it claims it is committed to protecting.
The decision also disregards historical lessons that military regime changes have never achieved political stability in the long run. One only has to look at Iraq and Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, it is this kind of intransigence among Western powers that has historically cost the countries in which they claim to be committed to introducing or restoring democracy.
The situation in Libya is further compounded by the imperialistic and self-serving actions such as France's decision to supply the rebels with arms.
Such actions undermine any effort by the African Union to find the much-needed peaceful solution to the crisis in Libya.
Finding such a solution can only happen if Nato and its political masters - who include France - get off their high horses and realise that the days of militarism are over. Today's democratic changes are ushered in by peaceful revolutions. This includes engaging the perceived enemies of democracy.
As for the rebels, they must rise to the occasion and show that they are indeed committed to achieving a stable and democratic Libya by accepting the AU's peace road map.
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