Gadhafi's Son: Bush Plan Should Be Backed

AP via Yahoo! ^ | March 24, 2004 | MAAMOUN YOUSSEF

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

By MAAMOUN YOUSSEF, Associated Press Writer

CAIRO, Egypt - The son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi said Wednesday Arab countries should support President Bush's campaign to promote democracy in the Middle East.

Numerous Arab governments have rejected Bush's democracy initiative, notably Egypt's and Saudi Arabia's, as an imposition unsuited to Arab culture and traditions.

"Instead of shouting and criticizing the American initiative, you have to bring democracy to your countries, and then there will be no need to fear America or your people," said Seif al-Islam Gadhafi. "The Arabs should either change or change will be imposed on them from outside."

Seif denied reports that he is a candidate to succeed his father, who rules Libya with little tolerance of opposition.

"Many Arab countries are now following the policy of inheriting the leadership, but there are hundreds of Libyans who are better (suited) than I," Seif said.

Seif even praised Israel, saying that unlike Arab countries, sons do not tend to succeed their fathers in power there.

"We don't put the appropriate person in the right place, but Israel is a democratic country," told the Al-Jazeera television station.

In Syria, Bashar Assad became president on the death of his father in 2000, and in Egypt, the son of President Hosni Mubarak is playing an increasing important role in affairs of state and the ruling party.

Seif said Libya has its own version of democracy. He said it was a formula based on "human rights, democracy, protecting the individual and the society."

Seif heads the Gadhafi International Association for Charitable Organizations, which has played a major role in trying to soften the image of Libya and return it to the international mainstream.

[Damocles]

Well this is interesting...

[JasonC]

They can sing, they can dance. Nice to see.

[jwalsh07]

Foreign Sons of Terrorist Scumbags for Bush?

I thnik we can do without his endorsement. :-}

[Spruce]

I don't trust these cats.

[doug from upland]

Interesting indeed. I wonder how long he will continue breathing.

[rintense]

I still say they gave WMDs to AQ, and knowing that AQ would use them- and the US would find out where they came from... well, Libya decided to help now rather than suffer the consequences later.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

"Instead of shouting and criticizing the American initiative, you have to bring democracy to your countries, and then there will be no need to fear America or your people," said Seif al-Islam Gadhafi. "The Arabs should either change or change will be imposed on them from outside."

It is amazing how reasonable people become when they are scared out of their pants.

Being the boogieman can have advantages.

[sarasmom]

I think you are right on target.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[VOA]

I don't trust these cats.

That was my first thought...but then that's what I said when I heard about the
Berlin Wall and the USSR breaking up!

I think this son must have been the one on "Sixty Minutes II" a few weeks ago,
interviewed by Vickie Maybree (sp?). He seemed to be ready to nudge Pops in the right
direction and was philosphical about the bombing of his family compound during
the Reagan years ("We were at war...").
And seeing the open doors of their chemical/nuclear plants and a bunch of
their nuclear infrastructure now sitting at Oak Ridge in Tennessee...
maybe things are going the right way.

Hey, Khaddafi is a politician..."when they feel the heat, they see the light."

[DustyMoment]

This is an interesting development. It remains to be seen if this guy is on the up and up or if he is "playing" Bush in hopes of suckering him into something foolish.

I'll withhold any judgement until the other shoe drops. Like a previous poster, I just don't trust Arabs enough to take their word for it. Actions still speal louder than words - no matter what country, culture, religion, planet or shoe size - and they always will.

[Jewels1091]

knock me over with a feather

[Unam Sanctam]

Sounds like he might be a decent guy -- where's the catch?

[McGavin999]

Interesting. We're going to have to watch to see if the actions match the words. The Arab people have the right to determin their own destiny.

[ladyinred]

Well, isn't this ah, different?

[DoughtyOne]

Out most favored trade deficit trading partner China is the one who is supplying the WMD tech to everybody. When it comes to disbursing nuke and missile tech, the Chi-Coms are king.

Khadaffi has been making overtures to the west for several years now. He paid the judgement on Pan Am 107. He turned over his WMD tech weapons.

Now that's not saying he's not morphing due to our strength, but I think there is some room to think this guy may be coming around.

Tony Blair is going to Lybia shortly. Evidently he's going to sound him out. As long as we do so with our eyes open and don't make any false suppositions, I like to see Khadaffy brought into the western camp. Stranger things have happened.

This statement by his son is amazing.

[Capt. Tom]

It is amazing how reasonable people become when they are scared out of their pants.

I notice the new head of Hamas went out of his way to say the US was not going to be targeted. Are we any less of an infidel than the jews? - tom

[The South Texan]

Wen Gadafi's off spring sounds more pro-American than the American Democrat party, something truly has changed.

[luvbach1]

To us he seems reaonable; in fact, one we might characterize as a good muslim. Unfortunately, in the Islamic world that makes him a bad muslim.