In October, 1956, the Freedom Fighters of Budapest overturned the Soviet backed dictatorship and forced the Red Army to withdraw. Observing the events from Prague and reading between the lines of statements at Communist party meetings, I was convinced that Moscow had written Hungary off! All that Hungry needed to raise, if not raze, the iron Curtain was diplomatic recognition and arms. After all, Moscow had its hands full with similar events in Berlin and Warsaw. But the White House and “brink of war” Secretary of State Dulles remained transfixed, using their muscle elsewhere. And the tanks reoccupied Budapest.
Thinking to take advantage of world attention being trained elsewhere, Britain and France, with cat’s paw Israel, moved to reoccupy the Suez Canal, recently nationalized by Israel. Here Eisenhower could act decisively, yeah, and force the allies to withdraw.
It is now the turn of the North African Arabs to throw off their imperialist-backed dictatorships. Some succeeded, some, like Syria and especially Libya, are in the throes of violent confrontations. The Libyans are much further along, having liberated large swaths of territory, especially along the borders with Egypt and Tunisia, which have concluded their uprisings successfully. This time France led in the UN and NATO to support the uprising by air and other means, and the US went along.
There is now a delegation from the Libyan freedom fighters in Washington, asking for diplomatic recognition.
Will they get it? 2011 is not 1956!
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Kerry Lauerman
Joan Walsh
Salon.com
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