EDITORIAL : THE GLOBAL TIMES, CHINA

Anti-intervention voices must be heard

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa criticized the US, Britain and France for their air raids in Libya on March 20. The coalition operations are facing increasing opposition from global public opinion. The veil of this military intervention under the banner of humanitarianism is rapidly being stripped away.

In this complex world, the situations in this region are much more complex than the description given by Western media. The US, Britain and France attempted to create a simple end in Libya that was beneficial to Western values, which, however, is contrary to reality. It means this military action cannot be as accurate and clear as a Tomahawk missile's trajectory.

Within 24 hours of air strikes, the African Union, China, Russia, India and many other emerging countries stood out to oppose them. German displeasure has also been made clear. Moussa's criticism indicates the dissatisfaction in the Arab world.

It is easy for the US, Britain and France to defeat the military power of Gaddafi, but the final outcome of military action in the Islamic world does not depend on the success or failure of military action alone. The Iraq invasion in 2003 went smoothly at first, but several thousand Americans died after the eradication of the Saddam regime. The war in Afghanistan has now lasted more than twice as long as World War I.

During the Iraq war, anti-American sentiment in the Arab world was severe, but the regulatory constraints in Arab countries limited the release of the discontent. But now with open public opinion, the people in Arab countries will soon understand that the real purpose of the Western air raids in Libya is not as pure as claimed.

Western supremacist interest has become more prevalent these years. In the current Middle East revolutions, Western governments rashly interacted with public opinion and hastily concluded Gaddafi would step down quickly. Now in order to maintain the authority of the West, they have to take the risk of military intervention.

China and Russia do not need to help the West find a way out in Libya. With anti-American sentiment in the Arab world, the West cannot launch a ground war like in Iraq. The Arab world's dislike of Gaddafi and aversion to the Western powers would balance each other out. Regardless of the fate of Gaddafi, a chaotic Libya will become an irremovable burden of the West.

China should unite dissenting countries in uniting reactions against the air strikes. China should dare to do so, because the US, Britain and France first violated the no-fly zone resolution and the anti-military intervention camp can now occupy the moral high land.

Making full use of it, the West will give more respect to China's opinion.