It's been in the news for awhile now, so I'm sure that people are alredy familiar with the story, but Gadhafi is apparently very interested in dismantling his weapons programs. (note--the link is to Salon.com's Newswire section, so you won't need to sign up for a day pass to read it as you would content from other sections of the site).
What do you think? Why the change of heart? Is it primarily financially driven--a desire to create an environment in which his country can attract foreign investors, sell oil, etc, or is he motivated by a fear that his country, which hasn't had the best relationship with the US, would be next on the list of countries Bush might decide to invade? Or could he simply have had a change of heart? I've read articles that talked about the impact that loosing his adopted daughter in Reagan's Tripoli bombing had on him, causing him to have more value for the lives of others. Could he be a modern Ashoka? The cynic in me doubts this last one pretty seriously, but you never know.
Might there be possibilities that haven't occurred to me? What do you think?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Does no one else see this story as a big deal?
Posted by newfoundlogic (Member # 3907) on :
Maybe he turned on the TV, saw a picture of Saddam Hussein loooking like a rat and decided he prefered the idea of staying in power.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
<--Sees the story as a big deal, but isn't quite sure what to make of it
Posted by Robespierre (Member # 5779) on :
My official policy is to wait and see.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Well sure, waiting and seeing what happens is the only thing we *can* do, but I'm intensely curious about what's going on in Gadafi's head. Is he up to something? Is he afraid of being attacked? Is he thinking of his legacy, now that he's getting older? I don't think we know the whole story yet, but I'm interested in exploring all of the possibilities I can think of.
Posted by Shlomo (Member # 1912) on :
I think it's too early to know for certain why he did it.
Therefore, I'm completely unsurprised that Bush told us why.
*Salutes*
Posted by Robespierre (Member # 5779) on :
If he is indeed serious, it could be for any number of reasons, which we can never know. Most republicans will say that it is because he is cowed by the action in Iraq. I can see this point, and I am sure it crossed Qad's mind. However, we will never know for sure, he won't just say "MAN! I was really worried about getting blasted by the US, so I though I should just go along." He will talk about Rejoining the community of nations, etc. Democrats and Doves are scrambling to spin it the other way, that we should have worked for a similar agreement with Iraq.
The only man who knows is the Colonel. Perhaps now that he has finished his rocket car he wants to make friends to sell it to.
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
quote: Bush said that if Libya shows it is serious in honoring its commitment, there was the possibility of U.S. help in making Libya "a more free and prosperous country."
The United States has a 17-year embargo in place against Libya and continues to list Libya among nations that sponsor terrorism. Britain's foreign secretary indicated that Washington may lift the embargo.
$Cha-ching$
Posted by Tresopax (Member # 1063) on :
I think they saw the War on Terror as an opportunity to become a strong ally with the U.S. again at very little cost.
I suspect this had less to do with Iraq-provoked fear (Libya was not even on the Axis of Evil shortlist), and much more to do with our treatment of Pakistan.
[ December 23, 2003, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: Tresopax ]
Posted by Maccabeus (Member # 3051) on :
I must be slightly older than you, Adam, because I vaguely remember reports of Libyan terrorists hijacking planes in the early 80s (when I was a little older than five).
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
You know Tres, that sounds more likely than any of the possibilities I'd come up with. I'm sure there's a mix of motives, financial profit being one of them, but what you suggested makes a lot of sense.