What can we do to bring the Libyan conflict to a speedy end?

I have just sent this email to my MP. You can copy, customise and send it too, via WriteToThem.com




Dear [MP]


Action to block broadcasts of Gaddafi’s Al Jamahiriya 2 TV station

Now that the Prime Minister has rightly led, with France, the military action to protect the population of Libya from Ghaddafi, we must all hope and act to bring the allied operation to a successful conclusion as soon as possible.

The remit of the Allies is to protect the people. The intention of the people is to remove Ghaddafi. They have the will and the numbers to achieve success, as the Allied action re-balances the  military situation by removing Ghaddafi’s heavy weapons.

There is one more heavy weapon that needs to be neutralised: Ghaddafi’s TV station Al Jamahira 2 State TV, and also his radio stations.

Gaddafi is mentally unstable, showing symptoms of denial, delusion, paranoia, and irrational aggression. He is controlling within his inner circles, and manipulative in his dealings with world opinion. He probably has a borderline unstable extraverted personality disorder exacerbated by 41 years of unopposed power.

It is clearly inappropriate for a deluded individual to be permitted to spread his delusions through a TV station, especially when they result in delaying the successful end of the Libyan crisis.

The importance of Ghaddafi’s broadcasts to his war effort cannot be overestimated.  We have seen the blatant misinformation that his ministers put out with regard to a “ceasefire”. Libyans are subjected to this propaganda every time they turn on the TV. He maintains his supporters’ morale with his TV broadcasts, affects their cognitive framework with misinformation.

If his broadcasts were stopped, it is reasonable to expect that support for Ghaddafi would diminish among the Libyan people. If families of loyalist soldiers no longer express enthusiasm for Ghaddafi, morale among his soldiers will be reduced.  Blank TV screens would be a symbol to loyalists that Ghaddafi is losing control. There would also be a positive net effect on world opinion, since some broadcasters are using Libyan State TV as if it were a reliable news source.

Nilesat is Ghaddafi’s main TV service provider. They are located in Egypt. It might take just a certain amount of diplomatic pressure to get them agree to deny service to him.  Other options of course include jamming his signal.

In short this is an action that is non-violent, and can reasonably be expected to shorten the length of our engagement in Libya.

I have heard no substantive arguments against this line of action, though I imagine there may be some kind of gentleman’s agreement among governments along the lines of “I will not jam your signal if you will not jam mine”. Clearly this convention no longer holds now that Ghaddafi is subject to a UN R2P action.

I urge you therefore, please, to take this matter up directly and personally with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for defence at the earliest opportunity. If there is any objection to the idea I would be grateful if you would call me so that we can talk it through. Time is pressing.


Many thanks for your action in this very important initiative.

Sincerely

....

Action to press the UN to recall the mercenaries here.