The story of Mu'mar Qathaafi's relations with America could best be described as tragi-comedy. His wretched little coup in 1969 was nothing like a popular revolution. He and Captain Jaluus and a couple hundred men seized power in Tripoli during an absence of King Idris in Europe for a meeting. I was in in Bavaria at the time supporting with communications and intelligence a meeting of senior commanders in Europe. All the chatter on my circuit was among; these senior commanders, Washington and the CO of Wheelus AFB outside Tripoli. The military men told Washington that this little puke could be easily taken down and that he represented no one except his tribe, the "al-Khathafa." "Bring down the brigade of paratroops at Lee Barracks at Mainz, Germany and we will set this right in an afternoon and bring back the king," was the message. But, the US was deeply involved in VN and no more difficulties were wanted by President Nixon. So, we let it go and for forty years the Libyans have lived with this madman.
Encouraged by this weakness, Qathaafi felt that he could support any sort of terrorist enterprise whether it be Irish, African, Palestinian or anything else. By the mid-80s this man believed his own fantasies and raved about the impotence of America, its cowardice, etc. The result was his nonsense about the "Zone of Death" in the Gulf of Sirte and the discotec bombing in Germany. The US response to this was an operation that bombed targets around Tripoli and Benghazi in retribution. Having played a direct role in the targeting, I can say that we certainly intended to kill him and I am sorry that we did not succeed. We aimed for his tent in Tripoli but inadvertence in delivery resulted in the bombs striking the building in the compound. The same was true of the bombs that struck downtown. They were dropped by an aircraft that had been mortally wounded and which crashed into the sea just offshore killing the crew.
After that Qathaafi "sobered up" about the US and began to beg like a dog at the door in a cold rain to be allowed in out of the weather by the US. He begged in every conceivable channel. He begged until 2003 when he realized that the GW Bush Administration was vulnerable to blandishments involving the offer of surrender to the "freedom agenda." Who suggested that approach? I have been told that Qathaafi's Saudi business partner suggested this approach, an approach that led to enormously lucrative oil contracts in Europe. In pursuit of the relaxation of US hostility, Qathaafi accepted responsibility for Lockerbie and "gave up" his non-existent nuclear weapons program (a lot of junk in warehouses). The US re-established diplomatic relations after that and Qathaafi was "re-constructed."
Now we have this.
Why should we think that the world will take us seriously? pl
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