Two Decades of Sanctions, Isolation Wore Down Gaddafi

Washington Post ^ | December 20, 2003 | Robin Wright and Glenn Kessler

[kennedy]

Libya's stunning decision yesterday to surrender its weapons of mass destruction followed two decades of international isolation and some of the world's most punishing economic sanctions. In the end, Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gaddafi was under so much pressure that he was forced to seek an end to the economic and political isolation threatening his government -- and his own survival, according to U.S. and British officials and outside experts.

[kennedy]

Of course, watching what Bush did to Saddam had nothing to do with it. Purely a coincidence.

[ClaireSolt]

Never saw sanctions work, before. I guess this is a first? Ditto above.

[Paul Atreides]

The fact that he finally ran out of Billy Beer didn't hurt, either.

[Rightone]

Amazing, truly amazing. Washington Post is truly a commie rag.

"What forced Gaddafi to act was a combination of things -- U.N. sanctions after the Lockerbie bombing, his international isolation after the Soviet Union's collapse . . . and internal economic problems that led to domestic unrest by Islamists and forces within the military," said Ray Takeyh, a Libya expert at the National Defense University.

[Hoverbug]

Yes. Obviously so! Bush and the USA can take no credit for this. This only came about from "international isolation and some of the world's most punishing economic sanctions."

The UN has again handed the world a grand and glorious victory, no thanks to the USA and Bush.

Excuse me now please. I have to go huurrrrllllll!!!!!

Hb

[rllngrk33]

I think anything posted on FR from the Washington post should come with a BIAS Alert.

[onedoug]

Another who'd urged jihad to others, dragged out of a hole.

[vbmoneyspender]

20 years of sanctions and 20 seconds of videotape of Saddam getting a tongue depressor stuck down his throat.

[eeman]

Amazing, truly amazing. Washington Post is truly a commie rag.

Read on... the article takes a more blatant shot at Bush For all the Bush administration's focus on deadly arms, however, the United States may have missed an opportunity to act earlier because of its preoccupation with Afghanistan and then Iraq, said U.S. officials familiar with earlier overtures.

I am waiting for Baghdad Jim to sat this wall all a pre-arranged plot

[ClintonBeGone]

Of course, watching what Bush did to Saddam had nothing to do with it. Purely a coincidence.

Another domino falls in our President's favor. When will the media acknowledge this fact?

[eeman]

Ooops, I meant to say

I am waiting for Baghdad Jim to say this was all a pre-arranged plot

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Of course, watching what Bush did to Saddam had nothing to do with it. Purely a coincidence.

Of course not. Bush deserves credit for nothing. < /sarc > (I hope that wasn't necessary but just in case the humor impaired are out to night)

I was worried that we were not paying proper attention to Libya. I am glad to see that I was wrong. Qaddafi has had me worried for about two years now.

This gives me more faith in that the government really is noticing and defusing threats both present and future.

[genefromjersey]

What Khadaffi actually gave up is debateable.He had made some sort of start on enriching uranium,had the labs for a low-grade biowarfare project,and had done some work on chemical weapons,but-supposedly due to sanctions-hadn't been able to do much with any of his "special weapons".

Still,it's at least a worthwhile symbolic gesture,I suppose.

[KantianBurke]

I agree. Talk is cheap.

[Semi Civil Servant]

Another domino falls in our President's favor. When will the media acknowledge this fact?

When hell freezes over. Just a guess.

[tet68]

Of course Ronald Reagan dropping bombs on his house had nothing to do with it, nooooooooooooooo.

Along comes RR II. and lookie here.

[byteback]

Whether by coincidence or fear that Libya might be targeted, Gaddafi's envoys approached Britain on the eve of the Iraq war to discuss a deal, U.S. officials said.

Must be a coincidence.

[VRWC_minion]

So, if we were just a little more patient Saddam would have given in too. I see.

[mirkwood]

[Loyal Buckeye]

I can see the Dem spin coming now: Had we worked with the UN and the international community we could have isolated Iraq and avoided the war.

In reality, it was the tongue depressor that scared the bajeepers out of Gaddafi.