Gadaffi's conversion (foreign press believes the carrot works better than the stick)

Irish Independent ^

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LIBYA'S Colonel Gadaffi is all too well known in Ireland. He supplied the Provisional IRA with weapons which enabled them to carry on their campaign of violence for decades.

He did not confine his sponsorship of terrorism to Ireland. During his 34 years as dictator of Libya, there have been numerous Libyan-backed atrocities. The most notorious was Lockerbie 15 years ago.

More troubling still was his development of weapons of mass destruction. He is believed to have used mustard gas in neighbouring Chad, and had scientists working on a nuclear weapon. Even after he accepted responsibility for Lockerbie and paid vast compensation, he continued to appear one of the most dangerous men in the world.

Yet events over the weekend proved in the most dramatic manner that this leopard could change his spots. Not only did he announce the abandonment of his nuclear arms programme, he agreed - above and beyond his treaty obligations - that the International Atomic Energy Agency could carry out spot checks in his country.

The credit for these developments goes, in addition to Gadaffi and his government, to prolonged, patient and firm negotiation by the representatives of the United States and Britain. The British role was pivotal. Prime Minister Tony Blair has had a welcome success.

But there is a danger that observers and even participants will read the wrong messages from the most favourable of events.

The White House saw Gadaffi's coming to terms as vindication of US action in Iraq. One arms expert remarked that almost the opposite was the case. Diplomacy might or might not have worked in Iraq. It has worked in Libya.

It may already have worked in Iran, where negotiations have been led by Europe. It may yet work in Syria. Prospects for North Korea appear dim, but even that bizarre government may take example from the outbreaks of rationality elsewhere.

The US and Britain have have employed the stick with one dictator, the carrot with another. The carrot has produced a better result, the belated conversion of Colonel Gadaffi.

[dead]

The carrot is a particularly effective motivator after the horse sees you beating the neighboring horse ass’s bloody with a big effing stick.

[keithtoo]

A very large, potentially lethal carrot, works even better than just a carrot. And its not nearly as conspicous as a large stick.

John Dillinger "You can get more done with a smile and a gun, than with only a smile"

[homecat]

People tried for YEARS to get Iraq to comply with inspections. Carrots were offered, but Iraq's actions brought on the stick.

[cynicom]

He saw a beeeg stick used in Iraq, a small carrot was acceptable.

[Utah Binger]

Give them a hug as you kick them in the fanny. A great management philosophy!

[mewzilla]

The carrot has produced a better result, the belated conversion of Colonel Gadaffi.

And if there's one thing the Irish ought to know all about, it's peaceful conflict resolution. Uh huh.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

I wonder how much of this might be tied to Libya being middle man between France and Iraq.
This is coming awfully close to the end of the Iraq war, and it's not like Bush has made Libya a prime target (yet).

[RedMonqey]

The carrot works if it is a BIG Carrot and one BEATS the HELL out the offending nation

[Prodigal Son]

He supplied the Provisional IRA with weapons which enabled them to carry on their campaign of violence for decades.

Something to keep in mind here. The US is interested in fighting Muslim terrorism. There are definite connections between the two- Muslim and IRA.

The IRA does a fair amount of fund raising in the US.

[dead]

I've heard that the IRA fundraising in America dried up very considerably after 911.

[Prodigal Son]

I suppose that begs the question though- why did 9/11 have to happen before the fundraising dried up?

[dead]

I guess the traditional Irish hatred of the British was superceded by the British support of American interests in the war on terror.

The needs of the adoptive nation won out over the needs of the ancestral homeland.

[Prodigal Son]

But implicit in there is the idea that some terrorism is ok.

[dead]

That understanding was implicit on both sides of the conflict, with the loyalist paramilitaries and the unionist forces both committing their share of atrocities.

It has calmed down considerably in recent years.

[Prodigal Son]

Oh aye. This is a given. But this is not what I am speaking of generally. When I referred to fund raising activity in the US the underlying principle is that there existed Americans who were willing to fund terrorism and in this case the terrorists themselves have ties to Muslim terrorism. The IRA aligns itself with the Palestinians, you can find expressions of solidarity with the Palestinians on the net and as this article mentions, they received arms from Libya. This is what I was talking about. Americans funding this sort of activity. It should not have taken a 9/11 before Americans were not willing to provide this funding.

[dead]

The vast majority of IRA funding that was coming from America was coming from Irish citizens (not Americans) living in Boston and NYC, both legally and illegally.

Many came here specifically to raise funds, often hitting up Irish Americans for phoney cultural projects or orphanages.

Most Americans of Irish descent who gave money to these fundraisers did so out of ignorance, not out of any love for terrorism, let alone Palestinian terrorism.

[Conservative4Ever]

Bwahahahahahahaha.....couldn't have said it better.

Red

[Prodigal Son]

Ignorance? Seriously, you've never heard an American of Irish descent going on about "The Cause"? I have. Perhaps we have had different cultural experiences but I recall the IRA being somewhat romanticized in American culture. So much so that when I lived in Northern Ireland I had some Loyalists/Protestants exhibit hostility to me simply because I was American- they saw my being American as being default pro-IRA.

Yeah, we might call it ignorance, but it shouldn't have taken a 9/11 to open the eyes of those that had romanticized that "cause" and I'm not sure how far I would go with saying the vast majority were Irish citizens working in the States. I believe the IRA received support from American citizens.

[dead]

Ignorance? Seriously, you've never heard an American of Irish descent going on about "The Cause"?

I don’t recall ever hearing an American of Irish descent use that phrase. I have heard dozens of Irish immigrants use that phrase though.

Perhaps we have had different cultural experiences but I recall the IRA being somewhat romanticized in American culture.

The idea of a reunited Ireland remains romanticized, and too many people were willing to overlook the sins of the IRA as retaliation for the sins of the loyalist paramilitaries (who killed more civilians over the last thirty years than the IRA and affiliated groups.) That mindset has changed though, and the IRA has gotten the message.

when I lived in Northern Ireland I had some Loyalists/Protestants exhibit hostility to me simply because I was American

Your experience is fairly typical in that regard.

it shouldn't have taken a 9/11 to open the eyes of those that had romanticized that "cause"

No, it shouldn’t have. Better late than never. Hopefully those who support the loyalist paramilitaries will one day follow suit.