Libya is now free - no thanks to Germany

Angela Merkel expressed her satisfaction concerning the apparent end of the Khaddafy regime:

Merkel said she was pleased with the news about the downfall of the regime in Tripoli at the hands of the forces of the revolution.
Germany is ready to offer help for the Libyans for the establishment of democracy and re-construction of their country.

That's nice. But when lives were on the line in Benghazi, Germany turned its back on its allies and sided with Russia.  Colonel Khaddafy was effusive in his praise of Chancellor Merkel.  Now that the Colonel is nearly gone and Tripoli is liberated, Germany's abandonment of its allies looks like an even greater blunder.  Sarkozy is the man of the hour, with David Cameron and Barack Obama in supporting roles.

Roland Nolles writes about the fallout of the Westerwelle Doctrine in Der Spiegel: 

Die Glaubwürdigkeit Deutschlands als Streiter für Menschenrechte und Demokratie ist beschädigt, ebenso das Ansehen als verlässlicher Partner im westlichen Bündnis. Neues Vertrauen, neue Stärke im Kreis der Nato-Partner wird erst eine neue Regierung wiederherstellen können.

Zugleich zeigt der Ausgang dieses Konflikts, wer in Europa das Sagen hat - es ist nicht Deutschland, sondern Frankreich. Sarkozy hat mit seinem frühzeitigen und energischen Engagement einen sicheren Instinkt für die richtige Entscheidung bewiesen. Er hat die Richtung angezeigt; die deutsche Regierung zauderte, zögerte, wollte sich nicht entscheiden.

(Germany's has lost all credibility as a champion of human rights and democracy., and has lost its reputation as a reliable partner in the Western alliance.  Only a new government in Berlin can restore a renewed strength in the circle of Nato partners.

At the same time, the outcome of the Libyan struggle shows who's in charge in Europe - not Germany, but France.  Sarkozy has demonstrated a sure instinct for making the correct decision at the right time with his early and energenic commitment. He showed the way, but the German government hesitated, delayed, and couldn't come to a decision.)

It is depressing to read the reader comments to Nolles' piece. While some expressed joy and solidarity with the historic victory of the rebels and Nato's crucial support, the majority seem to be rooting for the Libyan revolution to fail  and hoping for vindication of German defeatism. 

Comments

[James]

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/vicman230811.html

[James]

Is Libya really free? It seems chaotic now.

[James]

Strike that. It IS chaotic. You're nothing but a liberal hawk.

[David]

James, you're right, things were so much more orderly under Ghaddafi.

[Steve]

How bizarre, you praise Schroeder for staying out of Iraq yet slam Merkel and Westerwelle for abstaining on the scarcely less reckless and engineered assault on Libya. Sounds like clear partisan politics. It was obvious at the time that the Libya intervention was about the usual power factors and had little to do with prevention of genocide, in fact it is quite likely more died as a result that would have otherwise, with costly knock-on effects now playing out in Syria, Mali and elsewhere.