Whatever happened to Gaddafi and his sponsoring terrorism. We don't hear of him much. You would think he would be in the forefront of the terrorist news. Was it all American propaganda at that time that gave Reagan a reason to go into Gulf of Sidra, that gave Reagan a reason to order American jets to pound his palace etc.? Is it possible that the American propaganda machine is at it again with Saddam now instead of Gadaffi?
I would surely like to be in the crowd when Gadaffi's motorcade drives by.
Gaddafi show puts on the charm
From The Times
18jul02
THROWING fistfuls of cash from his open-top limousine to puzzled villagers lining the route, Muammar Gaddafi and his flamboyant roadshow rumbled into drought-stricken Malawi on the latest leg of the Libyan leader's charm offensive across southern Africa.
Local police were brushed aside by Colonel Gaddafi's fearsome female bodyguards in their figure-hugging green uniforms as he made his triumphal appearance on Tuesday at the head of a cavalcade of 70 armoured vehicles.
There was little danger of him running out of money to hurl at bystanders on his 350km drive from the government capital of Lilongwe to the commercial centre at Blantyre because one car in his entourage was reported to be stuffed with $US6 million ($10.7 million) in cash.
His hosts knew better than to question why Colonel Gaddafi also needed to bring his own mobile hospital, 600 security personnel and a vehicle carrying a jamming device that played havoc with Malawi's telephone system.
He paused long enough to admire troupes of dancing girls and allowed himself to be photographed alongside strategically placed placards proclaiming him as "The Champion of African Unity". However, for all his typical showmanship, the Libyan leader was in Malawi to use his oil wealth to enlist the country's support for his vision for the newly created African Union, which was launched in Durban last week.
Colonel Gaddafi never travels light. He showed up at the start of his African adventure with two Boeing 707s, his personal jet and two transport aircraft – including a giant Antonov – as well as a ship full of goat carcasses.
He insisted on making his own security arrangements, although some of his hosts baulked when they discovered this meant two 46-seater buses containing crateloads of sub-machineguns, AK-47 assault rifles and rocket launchers.
He plans to make the long drive home, stopping off along the way to preach his vision for the African Union, which he wants to mould into a powerful organisation that will take on the US and the West, with himself as leader.
It helps that wherever Colonel Gaddafi stops he doles out millions of dollars in aid to cash-strapped governments and promises further lucrative help if he is assured of that country's support.
Malawi's leaders were astonished by their guest's request to make the five-hour drive between their two main cities, because President Bakili Muluzi has hardly ever made the bone-jarring journey since he took power in 1994.
A 21-gun salute greeted Colonel Gaddafi at the sports stadium in Blantyre, which was packed with thousands of cheering onlookers who craned their necks to get a glimpse of him, smothered as he was by his security team.
When he turned up with all his firepower in the tiny mountain kingdom of Swaziland at the weekend, bystanders thought they had been invaded and ran for cover.
Colonel Gaddafi beamed with evident satisfaction when Swaziland's young ruler, King Mswati III, made him a Grand Counsellor of the Order of Sobhuza II, the country's highest honour.
From Swaziland he was off to Mozambique and a banquet with President Joaquim Chissano during which he warned: "No one will teach us democracy. We have our tradition, and we have our own democracy."
He had hinted earlier that Libya would forgo the interest on the $US140 million debt Maputo has owed the Government in Tripoli since the 1980s.
The Libyan leader is also busily buying his way into Africa's oil industry.
He already has a controlling stake in Zimbabwe's state-owned National Oil Company, as well as the coun try's refineries.
Colonel Gaddafi covets control of the oil pipeline that runs from the Mozambique port of Beira to Harare.
He is battling against Kuwait for a sizeable part of Mozambique's state-owned oil company Petromoc, as well as storage terminals at Beira.
He has paid part or all of the membership dues of at least 10 African states, enabling them to vote in the new AU.
Colonel Gaddafi said he was travelling through the region "to see for myself the real condition of the people".
After completing his tour of Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, he promises to draw up detailed plans to assist the regional economically.
theaustralian.news.com.au |
