Libya’s strongman who seized power in 1969 from the senile King Idris. Since that time, Gaddafi has consolidated his power and emerged as an undisputed ruler of Libya. In his earlier ‘avatar’ Gaddafi was an exporter of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism. In fact like Mao Zedong, he came out with his “Green Book” outlining his views based on Islam.
A Pan Am Boeing 747 was blown up over Lockerbie (Scotland) in 1988. The explosive device, which led to the disaster, was thought to have been taken on board at Frankfurt. Libya was held responsible for these two mishaps.
Gaddafi was pressurized by US and other Western countries to compensate the victims. Gaddafi has now become acceptable to the West and Libyan capital Tripoli was visited by a galaxy of Western leaders including former British PM Tony Blair and former German Chancellor Schroeder.
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The Libyan strongman has now decided to abandon the nuclear programme and the rewards are also quickly forthcoming. The European Union has ended his isolation. He visited the European Union and some of other EU capitals. Libya’s volte-face will be strategic for the fight against Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism now being waged in West Europe and the USA.
Gaddafi visited New York in September 2009 to attend the Session of U.N. General Assembly. As is his habit, Gaddafi pitched his tent courtesy one of his rich friends in the States and flaunted his vast oil resources and as Chairperson of the African Union, he has been seeking greater attention of the African countries, which would also imply surrender of individual sovereignty which many countries are not willing to do.
Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was one of the convicted Libyans of the Lockerbie air disaster in 1988. He was released by Scotland on compassionate grounds in August 2009 much to the chagrin of the relatives of the victims who died in the crash. On arrival in Libya. al-Megrahi was given a rousing welcome which was repulsive to say the least especially to the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Gaddafi visited Italy in November 2009 and converted a few Christian families to Islam which was totally unacceptable to the host country.
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Libya has earned its acceptance as a responsible Arab-African state and has been accorded considerable international recognition of late. A conference was held in Sirte in late 2007, attended by the various factions involved in the Dafur conflict to seek a solution. In 2010, he has emerged as – voice of Africa, he addressed the UN General Assembly Session in Sept. 2009, and as usual he pitched his tents at the residence of one of his friends.