Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gadhafi Wants Libya and America to Be Friends, Criticizes Security Council
Associated Press ^ | Mar 2, 2005 | Sarah El Deeb

Posted on 03/02/2005 4:04:34 PM PST by Crackingham

Moammar Gadhafi said Wednesday he wants Libya and the United States to be friends, but the one-time international pariah slammed the United Nations Security Council for being controlled by a select group of countries.

In a wide-ranging address to the annual meeting of Libya's parliament-like General's People Congress, Gadhafi also warned Libyans not to support foreign extremists and to stand strong in the face of terrorism.

Gadhafi's comments, moderate in the main but typically inflammatory in parts, come as Libya returns to the international fold following years of being regarded as a state sponsor of terror.

"We don't say love the Americans. We are talking policies, and (on that level) there is no problem or animosity" between both countries, Gadhafi, wearing a white robe, told hundreds of often-cheering Congress members during an address televised live and monitored in Egypt.

Last year, the U.S. government lifted 23-year-old travel restrictions imposed on Libya, invited American companies to return to the oil-rich nation and encouraged Tripoli to open a diplomatic office in Washington. President Bush has also commended Libya's progress in scrapping its nuclear weapons.

Of the United States, Gadhafi said: "We are not enemies. We are not allies. We are not agents. We hope one day we will be friends."

Gadhafi, however, criticized the United Nations and the permanent five-member Security Council, repeating complaints he raised in a full-page advertisement that appeared in Wednesday's Guardian newspaper in England.

"They are suggesting to expand the Security Council. This is another attempt to fool the nations at the expense of international peace and security," Gadhafi said during his speech in Sirte, a coastal city 260 miles east of Tripoli.

"So long as you are not a great nuclear power, you will not be able to exercise your rights in the Security Council," he said. The U.N. General Assembly, he added, "can't do anything without orders from its master, the Security Council."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: axisofevil; gadhafi; libya; olivebranch
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last

1 posted on 03/02/2005 4:04:35 PM PST by Crackingham
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

What the...?


2 posted on 03/02/2005 4:12:23 PM PST by mainepatsfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham
Moammar Gadhafi said Wednesday he wants Libya and the United States to be friends

First step for Gadhafi - Retire......

3 posted on 03/02/2005 4:13:35 PM PST by Dan from Michigan ("There out ta get me! They won't catch me! I'm #@^#@# innocent! They won't break me" - Guns N Roses)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

The Bush Effect......


4 posted on 03/02/2005 4:14:28 PM PST by pissant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham
Wow, Gadhafi and I agree on something...that the UN Security Council is corrupt! Well, that and his femme fatale guards...


5 posted on 03/02/2005 4:16:46 PM PST by Cyclopean Squid (The 80s belonged to the Gipper, the Aughts belong to Dubya!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dan from Michigan

You know, he's actually doing actions un-prompted. He turned over his nuke project that was completely unsuspected by the UN before the invasion of Iraq. He started reforms.

He may be crazy, but he ain't stupid. Also notice that he's pleased to see that his country is not a hostile nation to the US. He's 'seen the light', and you have to give him credit for that. One less terrorist shopping mall is good for us.


6 posted on 03/02/2005 4:16:49 PM PST by Republicanus_Tyrannus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Republicanus_Tyrannus

He's also about as trustworthy as a rattle snake.


7 posted on 03/02/2005 4:19:12 PM PST by demkicker (John McCain is a power hungry traitor and proved it on 2/19/05 in Iraq)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: demkicker

Hey, don't be dissing snakes like that!


8 posted on 03/02/2005 4:25:17 PM PST by Crackingham
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Republicanus_Tyrannus; Dog
Yep. Put him in the "kinda trust but sure as hell verify" department.

Dog- FYI

9 posted on 03/02/2005 4:25:30 PM PST by eureka! (It will not be safe to vote Democrat for a long, long, time...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Dan from Michigan

We lost a delightful young lady who was a close friend of 2 of my sons on PanAm 103------Forget Libya(I'm being polite here)


10 posted on 03/02/2005 4:26:54 PM PST by Mears ("Call me irresponsible".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: demkicker

True, on the whole.
But he's voluntarily given up his 'cover'. A ton of it. Think about the implications to his actions. Suddenly he's gotten rid of his chemical, bio, and nuke weapons programs BEFORE we invaded Iraq and BEFORE anyone knew he had them.
That's a lot to give up. That's a ton of dictator-security to eliminate. (A ton of brush for him to hide under just got cleared away - to extend the rattlesnake analogy a bit.)

He's got fewer options than before. He's a dictator with his personal prestige on the line. Ever know a bully who publically gave up himself? One who publically refuted his prior actions? They're rare because it's a dong thing. And dictators are mightily aware of the dong-factor (as I put it).

He's repudiated over 30 years of business as usual.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him resign within the next 3 years as a "leader emeritus" after ensuring both a democratic government as well as immunity to prosecution.


11 posted on 03/02/2005 4:27:30 PM PST by Republicanus_Tyrannus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: pissant

"The Bush Effect......"

Yep, be strong, stay strong, never relent, never waiver.. others will follow.


12 posted on 03/02/2005 4:28:28 PM PST by SeaBiscuit (God Bless all who defend America and the rest can go to hell.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham
"So long as you are not a great nuclear power, you will not be able to exercise your rights in the Security Council," he said. The U.N. General Assembly, he added, "can't do anything without orders from its master, the Security Council."

Strike the last 8 words of the last sentence: "The UN General Assembly can't do anything." Otherwise it's weird to have Ghadafi agreeing with me. I suppose we both like water too...

13 posted on 03/02/2005 4:28:39 PM PST by Zhangliqun (What are intellectuals for but to complexify the obvious?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeaBiscuit

the rodents in europe had no choice but to follow....


14 posted on 03/02/2005 4:30:36 PM PST by pissant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Cyclopean Squid

15 posted on 03/02/2005 4:33:52 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper (Liberalism is a theory based on conspiracies)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

This is quite shocking. I have mixed feelings.


16 posted on 03/02/2005 4:34:38 PM PST by Norman Bates (Usama Bin Laden, 1957-2005)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cyclopean Squid

17 posted on 03/02/2005 4:35:20 PM PST by John Lenin (My hobby is exposing trolls and I enjoy it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Mears
We lost a delightful young lady who was a close friend of 2 of my sons on PanAm 103

That's really sad.  Sometimes we forget how these peoples actions have affected individual families and friends.

18 posted on 03/02/2005 4:37:01 PM PST by usgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Republicanus_Tyrannus

Too bad the once bad boy seems to understand the UN is corrupt and yet our own lefties here don't yet get it.

He didn't want to hide in a spider hole.


19 posted on 03/02/2005 4:39:14 PM PST by Michael121 (An old soldier knows truth. Only a Dead Soldier knows peace.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Republicanus_Tyrannus

"It wouldn't surprise me to see him resign within the next 3 years as a "leader emeritus" after ensuring both a democratic government as well as immunity to prosecution."

I don't know if the true story will be known in the next decade, but underlying all this is that part of this is a real change in qadaffi. Who knows what caused it, i.e. his own health or increasing age would be my first guess.

Many on this thread assume he is lying etc., and you have to approach him that way, BUT they don't seem to see what you point out. His actions go above and beyond doing the minimum required (for that, see hussein the last 15 years). This guy is voluntarily throwing in the towel whole hog, and no dictator does that as a trick. This is a serious effort to get in the good graces of the West and particularly the US.


20 posted on 03/02/2005 4:55:13 PM PST by WoofDog123
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-46 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson