Gaddafi - A Murderous, Megalomaniac Mad Man? Or A Caring, Democratic "Leader"?
I wanted to find out for myself so I went a digging, & was surprised at what I found.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin 😊
Let’s start with his name:
Is it Gaddafi, Gadhafi or Gathafi?
Same bloke - three different spellings. Why? …. I don't know. So I asked a bird someone who does:
“Good question. Arabic is spelled in English phonetically so you will often see multiple spellings of a name. Perfectly normal. Go with the one you like”
Thank you
👍Here’s what most of us, over a certain age, grew up seeing & hearing ….
Muammar Gaddafi:
A highly divisive figure, Gaddafi dominated Libya's politics for four decades and was the subject of a pervasive cult of personality. He was decorated with various awards and praised for his anti-imperialist stance, support for Arab—and then African—unity, as well as for significant development to the country following the discovery of oil reserves.
Conversely, many Libyans strongly opposed Gaddafi's social and economic reforms; he was posthumously accused of various human rights violations. He was condemned by many as a dictator whose authoritarian administration systematically violated human rights and financed global terrorism in the region and abroad.
Gaddafi had female bodyguards. This is what Wikipedia say about that 👈 … the tabs at the bottom are interesting reading.
[His bodyguards are also mentioned near the end of this article]
Muammar Gaddafi Extended Interview in English [1988]
[29 mins 49 sec]
On 11 April 1988, ITN's Trevor McDonald sat down with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to discuss Libya's place in the world. Gaddafi discussed his desire to unite the Arab world by breaking down the borders between countries, the Arab-Israeli conflict and the possibility of a settlement, Libya's relations with America [who Gaddafi called "our enemy" when it came to the issue of Israel and Palestine], Libya's relationship with Britain ["a colony for America"], and Libya's support for the IRA in their fight against Britain in Northern Ireland.
In this half hour interview the ITN team appear a tad unprofessional. They don’t seem to have even done a sound check.
It’s only in the last two minutes or so when the interview was over that Gaddafi seems to relax, even asking reporter Trevor McDonald questions about himself [I've never liked that bloke].
McDonald then [embarrassingly in my opinion] asks Giddafi to sign a [hard]copy of “The Green Book”*, a few more of which appear to be strategically placed on the tables.
2009
“Gadhafi's marathon U.N. address” [CNN]:
[3 mins]
CNN's Isha Sesay reports on the rambling address to the U.N. General Assembly by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Note that the reporter uses the word “bazaar”, with emphasis, three times in as many minutes
23 Sep 2009 Muammar Gaddafi’s full speech at United Nations General Assembly:
A “rambling address”, or 1 hour & 36 minutes of truth bombs, statements that some folks would be extremely unhappy about hearing, proposed solutions & perfectly feasible questions?
….. You decide:
Here’s a snippet [if you can’t be arsed watching the video]:
“…. Today there is swine flu. Perhaps tomorrow there will be fish flu, because sometimes we produce viruses by controlling them. It is a commercial business. Capitalist companies produce viruses so that they can generate and sell vaccinations. That is very shameful and poor ethics.
Vaccinations and medicine should not be sold. In The Green Book, I maintain that medicines should not be sold or subject to commercialization. Medicines should be free of charge and vaccinations given free to children, but capitalist companies produce the viruses and vaccinations and want to make a profit. Why are they not free of charge? We should give them free of charge, and not sell them. The entire world should strive to protect our people, create and manufacture vaccinations and give them free to children and women, and not profit by them.
All those items are on the agenda of the General Assembly, which has only to exercise that duty. How can we be happy about global peace and security if the whole world is controlled by only five countries? We are 192 nations and countries, and we are like Speakers' Corner in London's Hyde Park. We just speak and nobody implements our decisions.
…. From the beginning, since it was established in 1945, the Security Council has failed to provide security. On the contrary, it has provided terror and sanctions. It is only used against us. For this reason, we will no longer be committed to implementing Security Council resolutions after this speech, which marks the 40th anniversary. Sixty-five wars have broken out: either fighting among small countries or wars of aggression waged against us by super-Powers. The Security Council, in clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations, failed to take action to stop these wars or acts of aggressions against small nations and peoples ….”
Is it worth listening to the whole speech? ….. I'm glad I did
🔗 This 23 minute 2009 Jazeera interview is rather telling:
Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York earlier this week.
His 96-minute speech, which broke the alloted 15-minute protocol, marked the first time he addressed the international body since leading a coup in 1969 which ended rule by monarchy in Libya and brought him to power.
In an interview with Al Jazeera's Ghida Fakhry, Gaddafi repeated his belief that a two-state solution is not a feasible approach to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and bringing peace in the Middle East.
The interviewer is Ghida Fakhry …… what a bitch [I think she’d eat herself if she was made of chocolate]. She seems to mock Gaddafi quite a bit & made reference to him not being permitted to put up his tent in New York. I thought this was unnecessarily mentioned & done in an effort to paint him as an unreasonable eccentric freak.
I read somewhere that Gaddafi actually preferred to use his tent when travelling to avoid unnecessary expense. Basically, he didn’t take the piss financial liberties with his position the way leaders of many other countries do. He didn't consider it his money to spend on hotels.
At 16:58 in the video Ghida Fakhry appears to employ Neuro-linguistic programming [NLP] to plant a seed to resign from his position as “leader”, she then kept pushing. It was quite noticeable &, I think, strange.
At Al Jazeera English, we focus on people and events that affect people's lives. We bring topics to light that often go under-reported, listening to all sides of the story and giving a 'voice to the voiceless.' Reaching more than 270 million households in over 140 countries across the globe, our viewers trust Al Jazeera English to keep them informed, inspired, and entertained. Our impartial, fact-based reporting wins worldwide praise and respect. It is our unique brand of journalism that the world has come to rely on. We are reshaping global media and constantly working to strengthen our reputation as one of the world's most respected news and current affairs channels.
……… Hmm 🤔
"For 40 years I have not been the ruler, the authority has been with the people"
Muammar Gaddafi [2010]
THE GREAT MAN MADE RIVER - OFFICIAL PROJECT VIDEO - LIBYA [1984]:
This was one of Gaddafi’s “achievements”. It took 40 years to complete, ensured the whole of Africa had a clean water supply & the ability to grow their own food. Within ten years, Libya became a sovereign state thanks to the “river”.
In 2011 it was blown-up by NATO in an 8 month operation that killed hundreds of thousands of civilians, including women & children:
If you do a search for “Libyan air strikes” you'll see just how many civilian buildings were hit on other occasions.
Obama was the U.S President at the time …..
Who was the absolute fkn monster individual that gave the go-ahead for the attacks on Libya - which consisted of 26,000 air raids & used 100 cruise missiles? ….
🔗 Hillary Clinton learns of Gadhafi's capture
“Between network interviews in Afghanistan, Hillary Clinton learns of unconfirmed reports of Gadhafi's capture”
[ This clip is 13 years old yet CNN have still got a block in it being played anywhere other than on Pootube]
Gaddafi was captured & killed on October 11th, 2011:
The event was made very public. But varying, & often conflicting accounts were put out there. Most newspapers & news reports showed graphic, bloody photographs of his body. Something I don’t remember seeing before on the front of pages of British publications & on the telly. Various videos did the rounds also on the internet. I believe the footage & photographs were released deliberately.
Articles on Gaddafi's death:
⚠ Contain graphic upsetting descriptions & images ⚠
🔗 Qaddafi apparently sodomized after capture
Amid mounting questions about just how and when Muammar Qaddafi died, a GlobalPost analysis of video footage suggests a Libyan fighter sodomized the former dictator after he was captured near Sirte.
🔗 53 bodies found in Sirte; Loyalists executed?
…. his blood-streaked body laid out as a trophy for a fourth day of public viewing in a commercial freezer
April 2016
Hillary Clinton Has No Regrets About Libya
The intervention didn’t go according to plan. But the Democratic front-runner doesn’t think withdrawing from the Middle East is the answer.
… in speaking with Clinton’s closest aides and advisors, it’s clear that she has already formulated a detailed defense. Clinton, they say, does not see the Libya intervention as a failure, but as a work in progress.
The key lesson she has drawn from Libya is not that the United States should always avoid intervention or steer clear from the Middle East altogether, but that it needs to deepen its commitment to the region and find longer-term ways to engage with it. Whether or not the American public accepts that argument, it has clearly shaped Clinton’s present thinking on foreign policy...
🔗 Full article
How The U.S. Destroyed Libya's Great Man-Made River:
[32 min 39 sec]
This 2024 video starts with Jimmy Dore speaking with Mousse Ibrahim who is the former Information Minister & official spokesman for Muammar Gaddafi. He tells us of things we definitely weren’t told on the news when Gaddafi was alive. They also talk of a very relevant & informative leaked email & the increase in cancer cases since the US bombed Libya. Bombing fatalities are estimated at 60,000 to 100,000 - most of which were civilians.
There's other videos following the interview clip. It's a bit choppy in places, but please stick with it if you're not aware of any of this.
[Please disregard badly placed, disrespectful self promotion at 10:10]
Mentioned in the above interview:
Ecologist news article
* “The Green Book” was first published in 1975:
This book, written by Gathafi, is mentioned in numerous articles & interviews.
Amazon have bought the printing rights [no surprise there]. The Kindle is less than £5, paperback less than £10 & the hardback is ….. brace yaself …. £346 *
It's not a very thick book at just 106 pages & is easy to read. After just a few paragraphs it becomes very clear why certain countries [including England] wanted Gaddafi dead.
* Currency Converter
📗
FREE digital versions of the “The Green Book”:
The benefits of the Libyans during the rule of Gaddafi:
1. During Gaddafi's rule, there was no energy bill in Libya because it was provided free of charge to all residents.
2. All loans were provided to Libyan people at 0% interest by law, and banks in the country were state-owned.
3. In Libya, a home is seen as a fundamental human right. Gaddafi pledged that his parents would not receive a home until every Libyan had one. During Gaddafi's rule, his father passed away while he, his wife, and his mother were still residing in a tent.
4. The Libyan government gave all newlyweds 60,000 Dinar [$50,000] to help them start their first home and start family.
5. Free healthcare and education were available in Libya. Only 25% of Libyans were literate before Gaddafi. It was 83% throughout his rule.
6. Free agricultural land, a farm home, farming equipment, seeds, and cattle were given to Libyans who wanted to pursue a career in agriculture.
7. The government used funds to send Libyans abroad for education and medical care if they couldn't get it there for free; in addition, they received US $2,300/month for housing and a car allowance.
8. In Libya under Gaddafi, the government subsidized 50% of the cost of a car purchased by a Libyan.
9. In Gaddafi's time, the cost of gasoline in Libya is $0.14 per liter.
10. Libya had $150 billion in reserves that were at one time unfrozen and had no external debt.
11. If a Libyan graduate was unable to find work after graduating, the state would pay the going rate for that profession until a job was found.
12. All Libyan nationals' bank accounts were directly credited with a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of Libyan oil.
13. A mother received $5,000 after having a child.
14. During Gaddafi's rule, 40 loaves of bread in Libya cost $0.15.
15. To increase access to water, Gaddafi implemented the Great Man-Made River Project, the largest irrigation project in the world.
16. The Libyan government established the most cheapest and affordable airline, Afriqiyah, which carried many people around the world.
Taken from the 2023 article Where Are Muammar Gaddafi's Female Bodyguards?
So …. was Gaddafi a murderous, megalomaniac dictator? Or a caring democratic "leader"?
“Today there is swine flu. Perhaps tomorrow there will be fish flu”
Hahaha ha they all know.
Will the real terrorists please stand up, North Atlantic Terrorist Organization, the militant arm of the global mafia.