Libya has said it will give up its programmes for developing weapons of mass destruction and allow unconditional inspections.
President Muammar Gaddafi said that, after months of negotiations with the West, his country was ready to play its role in building a world free from all forms of terrorism,
[i]Friday's surprise statement drew immediate praise from Washington and London[i].
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair called the announcement "an historic one and a courageous one".
A welcome seasonal present for President Bush and Prime Minister Blair
[i]BBC News Online's Paul Reynolds
Analysis: Gaddafi in from the cold[/i]
US President George Bush said: "Colonel Gaddafi's's commitment, once fulfilled, will make our country more safe and our world more peaceful."
"Leaders who abandon the pursuit of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them will find an open path to better relations with the US and other nations."
The US and its allies have long suspected that Libya had secret chemical and biological weapons programmes, but Libya repeatedly denied such allegations saying it only had facilities for pharmaceutical or agricultural research.
posted on December 20, 2003 08:27:13 AM new
On December 15, 2003 yellowstone said:
The leaders of the Arab nations are intently watching the events unfold in Iraq but notice that none of them that are/were friendly with Iraq have jumped into the fray. The reason is that they can see from what is happening in Iraq that the US is a nation not to mess with.
I agree and I give full credit to both our President and Tony Blair for the fact that Libya took notice of the Iraq events and decided to 'come clean' on their womd. The war on terrorism IS working.
[ edited by Linda_K on Dec 20, 2003 08:28 AM ]
posted on December 20, 2003 09:55:30 AM new
Yes, it looks like the Bush doctrine is having its desired effect in the region. Syria and Iran are also begining to show the strain.
posted on December 20, 2003 10:19:37 AM new
Do you really think that it was intimidation that led Libya to make that decision? Do you really think that they are trying to circumvent an action against them by us? Libya hasn't been on oour radar screen in quite awhile. If anything I think it is a mnipulation of current events to curry economic and political favor
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
It just goes to show what might have happened with Iraq if we'd been willing to spend a year or so negotiating with them instead of a few months. We could have avoided the Iraqi war...just imagine, the lives we could have saved.
posted on December 20, 2003 10:39:45 AM new
From the link above...
"It's not a dramatic turnaround. It's part of a trend that has been underway for 10 years -- of reforms and trying to reintegrate with Europe, mainly for business reasons," said Joseph Cirincione, an arms specialist at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Gaddafi has turned away from radical Arab nationalism of the 1970s and 1980s toward programs geared toward economic development that require Western investment and markets, which means coming into line with international norms," he added.
posted on December 20, 2003 02:02:46 PM new
If Dean was favored to win the election, I doubt the Libyans would be giving up their WMD's. With 4 more years of Bush, they decided it might be best to get off the sh*t list.
posted on December 20, 2003 02:30:37 PM new
"Do you really think that it was intimidation that led Libya to make that decision? Do you really think that they are trying to circumvent an action against them by us? Libya hasn't been on oour radar screen in quite awhile. If anything I think it is a mnipulation of current events to curry economic and political favor"
Totally incorrect.
The United States has been ACTIVELY isolating Libya for more than a decade. Their oil industry is floundering and part of the new agreement allows American oil companies to deal with them again. NBC said that negotiations for the present agreement began when the "US pulled the trigger on Iraq."
Coincidently, the Syrians seemed to have arrested a few dozen Al Queda and confiscated $25 million.
posted on December 20, 2003 02:52:41 PM new
Bush has nothing to do with this. It would all be the same news even if Algore was elected. <------insert smile
Actually it's frightening to think what the headlines would be if Algore had been selected.
dd
posted on December 20, 2003 04:46:40 PM new
::Totally incorrect.::
I think not.
::The United States has been ACTIVELY isolating Libya for more than a decade.::
How much activity does it take to ignore someone? Prior to this, whe was they last time you heard Libya mentioned other than their compensaion payments to families from the Lockerbee flight?
:: Their oil industry is floundering and part of the new agreement allows American oil companies to deal with them again. ::
Exactly- hence the reason that one would attempt to curry favor.
::NBC said that negotiations for the present agreement began when the "US pulled the trigger on Iraq." ::
Are you so niave or just so arrogant that you think American are the only ones that can play at politics. Libyas economy has been damaged by economic sanctions and they are considered a joke in the arab world. They have no actual enemies and have been tossed around enough by the Americans badly enough already to know better than to start that fight again. There is no reason to continue pursueing a nuclear weapons program, and no money if there was so if you are going to abandon it, why just leave it out to rot - why not see if someone would like to trade for it.
Chances are good that Bush would be wiling to pay big bucks in political currency for a bloodlless win If I was Qaddafi I would have done the same thing. Sent out a few feelers, have a few talks, toss out some concepts, discuss some of my needs then roll it out. Here is my ancient, rusting, corroded Weapons Program. You can wheel your end of the deal in around back when the press goes home. If you think we didn't give anything, try explaining why it took 9 months of negotiations.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on December 20, 2003 04:57:56 PM newSo Bush takes credit?
Absolutely NOT! and I join you in LOL there!
btw my very good friend, who is the same age as I am (now that was a LONG time ago ) was born on a US military base in Libya, and she complains that they refuse to take Libya off of her passport. She says they give her the worst time when she trys to fly.
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posted on December 20, 2003 07:10:53 PM new
Is it just me, or does Muammar Gaddafi look a little too much like Tom Jones? Have you noticed that you never hear one sing "What's New, Pussycat?" while the other one is drinking water? Hmmm...
"Libya's promise to surrender its weapons of mass destruction was forced by Britain and America's seizure of physical evidence of Col Muammar Gaddafi's illegal weapons programme, the Telegraph can reveal."
"United States officials say that America's hand was strengthened in negotiations with Col Gaddafi after a successful operation, previously undisclosed, to intercept transport suspected of carrying banned weapons."
"The operation is said to have been carried out under the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), an international, American-led scheme to halt the spread of WMD by seizing them in transit. The PSI was first mooted by President George W Bush in May but was not officially launched until September."
"Last week, a senior official from the US State Department confirmed that the PSI had "netted several seizures", although he refused to give further details."
[ edited by Linda_K on Dec 21, 2003 06:30 AM ]
posted on December 21, 2003 09:36:42 AM new
The interesteing thing about this "operation was carried out under PSI" which was formed in May and launched in September is that according to your original link....
Mr Blair said Britain had been engaged in talks with Libya for nine months.
""Libya came to us in March following successful negotiations on Lockerbie to see if it could resolve its weapons of mass destruction issue in a similarly co-operative manner," he said.
Friday's decision entitled Libya to rejoin the international community, Mr Blair said.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on December 21, 2003 04:18:30 PM new
Not at all. I am having a problem with a program started in May being given credit for the completion of something that was started in March - especially since Blairs quote states that it was Libya that came forth first.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by fenix03 on Dec 21, 2003 04:18 PM ]
posted on December 21, 2003 05:59:10 PM new
Maybe we all could just be thankful that this is looking like it might just happen [if Gaddafi holds up to his part of the agreement].
One more leader in the ME, who has always denied having womd, who's now admitting he does. And who's now willing to eliminate their program and allow unlimited access to the inspectors to verify it.
I think it's a very positive step.
------------
I'd like to ask you your opinion on Iran. Some suspect they too have womd [NW]. Why do you think they are/need to be building nuclear power plants? I'd be interested in your take on this subject.
