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What's behind the controversy surrounding Gadhafi?

By Brian E. Muhammad | Last updated: Sep 10, 2009 - 7:10:34 AM

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Graphic: MGN Online
Until recently, the West attempted to marginalize Mr. Gadhafi because of his history of supporting liberation movements such as the Palestinian struggle and the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. The animosity led to years of sanctions and international isolation.
(FinalCall.com) - On September 15, when the United Nations' 64th General Session gathers in New York, Muammar Gadhafi, Leader of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Great Jamahiriya will also be present. The occasion will be Mr. Gadhafi's first time in the United States since assuming power through a bloodless coup in 1969. The weeks leading up to the visit have caused difficulties for many in United States and The United Kingdom.

NEWS ANALYSIS

Until recently, the West attempted to marginalize Mr. Gadhafi because of his history of supporting liberation movements such as the Palestinian struggle and the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. The animosity led to years of sanctions and international isolation. In 1986, there was a U.S. military invasion that killed Mr. Gadhafi's young daughter ordered by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan, supposedly in retaliation for a German nightclub bombing that killed two U.S. soldiers.

However, in recent years Western nations have been courting Mr. Gadhafi—who also serves as Chairperson of the African Union—hoping to take advantage of Libyan economic opportunities.

Experts say the UN visit will intensify public opposition to Scotland's release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the Libyan national convicted for the bombing of an American airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland that killed 270. Mr. al-Megrahi, 57 was freed from jail on compassionate grounds because he has advanced prostate cancer.

Critics of Libya maintain the early release was politically motivated and tied to prospective U.K. business interests, however the U.K.'s Foreign Office has vehemently denied that any such deals were made, even though there have been several official meetings between Libya and the U.K. in the months leading up to the release on record. According to media reports, Muammar Gadhafi's son, Seif el-Islam told Libyan TV the case was raised frequently during talks over oil and gas.

Both the British and U.S. Governments objected to al-Megrahi's release and the hero's welcome he received from fellow Libyans upon his return.

Britain called the celebrations “deeply distressing,” while President Obama condemned the jubilation as “highly objectionable.” Anger over the release was also expressed by the families of the Pan-Am 103 victims. However some observers doubt relations between the U.S. and Libya will sour in light of U.S. business investments which were deprived for nearly 30 years under sanctions. Contracts to U.S. firms lost during the Reagan years were regained at the end of Pres. George W. Bush administration.

Furthermore in 2001 the Libyan government paid $2 billion in compensation to the families of the victims in what some saw as a political compromise to ease the effects of the sanctions on the Libyan people. The move prompted the lifting of international sanctions against Libya and led to a restoration in diplomatic ties between them and the West.

However, with renewed attention on the Lockerbie case, questions have resurfaced casting doubt on the guilt of Libya and the suspects accused in the bombing. In the beginning there were two men accused and tried by the Scottish Courts for the bombing, Mr. al-Megrahi and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah. Mr. Fhimah was acquitted and Mr. al-Megrahi found guilty.

For eleven years the Libyan leader demanded the trial be held in a neutral court with international judges, but the U.S. and U.K. refused, pushing for increased sanctions. The U.S. and the U.K. offered a proposal that would use Scottish judges rather than international ones. Libya accepted the new proposal in April 1999 and turned over the accused who had been free up to that point.

There was heavy political pressure from the U.S. and U.K. to convict somebody to further the aim of discrediting and ultimately eliminating Muammar Gadhafi, causing more questions regarding the legitimacy of the guilty verdict. Then, of course, there was the U.S. blame game. Originally the U.S. accused Iran of the Lockerbie bombing, and then Syria, before settling on Libya.

In 1988, the U.S.S. Vincennes, a U.S. guided missile cruiser, shot down an Iranian passenger jet killing all 290 people on board. The U.S. government claims that the U.S.S. Vincennes mistakenly identified the passenger plane as an F-14 fighter jet. Some analysts believe that the bombing over Lockerbie was in retaliation for this disaster.

Other observers say that the Scottish courts knew they convicted an innocent man and were therefore more inclined to respond to the petition favorably, and free Mr. al-Megrahi using his health as the reason. Perhaps it was political from beginning to end? That would account for the release being seen by the Libyan people as a victory against the forces who sought to use al-Megrahi as expendable tool in their plot to ultimately destroy Muammar Gadhafi.

Related links:

Gadhafi elected president of the African Union (FCN, 02-25-2009)

U.S. Sec. of State makes historic trip to Libya (FCN, 09-17-2008)