Berlusconi bombs Libya, imprisons war refugees

21 June 2011.

Along with other NATO governments, Silvio Berlusconi of Italy bombs Libya in a “humanitarian” war.

So “humanitarian” is the war that it kills civilians. So “humanitarian” is the war that Italian and other NATO warships ignore war refugees ships’ SOS signals, letting many people die.

So “humanitarian” is the war that the Berlusconi regime, playing the racist card hoping thus to boost their flagging popular support, treats those refugees from NATO’s Libyan war that do not drown, as criminals, locking them up behind barbed wire.

This video says about itself:

More than 15,000 immigrant workers have fled Libya following the violence there, with thousands having been sent to a holding centre in Sicily which is usually off limits to journalists.

An isolated housing development in the Mineon countryside is where many of the refugees called home, but an uncertain future and political wrangling are all adding to their already desperate state of affairs.

Al Jazeera’s Casey Kauffman reports from Mineo, Sicily.

Nato air strikes killed at least 15 civilians including three children in Surman in the early hours on Monday just one day after nine civilians were killed by Nato bombers in Tripoli: here.

Monday night’s air strike on a compound west of Tripoli that killed 19, including women and children, puts an end to any pretence that NATO is not deliberately targeting civilians in its ongoing bombardment of Libya: here.

Libya deaths trigger rift over NATO campaign: here.

Sudan Again Accused Darfur Rebels of Fighting On Side of Gaddafi: here.

Jonathan Schell, TomDispatch: “The Obama administration has come up with a remarkable justification for going to war against Libya without the congressional approval required by the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973. American planes are taking off, they are entering Libyan air space, they are locating targets, they are dropping bombs, and the bombs are killing and injuring people and destroying things. It is war. Some say it is a good war and some say it is a bad war, but surely it is a war. Nonetheless, the Obama administration insists it is not a war”: here.

Glen Ford: Imperial President Obama Pretends Not to Wage War: here.

Keith Olbermann, in the premiere of his new Current TV show, “Countdown With Keith Olbermann,” discusses the state of the US intervention in Libya with documentary filmmaker Michael Moore; video here.

Silvio Berlusconi defiant as escort scandal grows. Italy’s PM vows to ‘hang tough’ as a third woman confirms details about the night he allegedly had sex with an escort: here.

The international film festival at Pesaro in Italy is resisting Berlusconi’s cultural barbarism with resilience and determination: here.

A man was rushed to hospital on Monday after slashing his own throat with a razor to stop his forced deportation to Jamaica by the UK Border Agency (UKBA): here.

Dave Crouch looks at War is a Lie by David Swanson, a new book about the stories our rulers tell to sell their imperial projects: here.

Left media in Italy: here.