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Originally Posted by Highwayman  You’re not paying attention Binky. You might have an argument if Libya had come around prior to invading Iraq. Gaddafi saw “real change” coming on the horizon and didn’t want any part of it. |
Gaddafi had a taste of American "persuasion" with the bombing raids on Tripoli & Benghazi, which killed 45 Libyan military & government personnel as well as 15 civilians, including Gaddafi's daughter.
He "got the message" in 1986 long before the 2002 invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam. In a 2001 TIME magazine interview Gaddafi described a new world order in which the US and Libya were natural allies against Islamic extremism. He said Libya would be a much better and reliable friend than a certain oil-rich Arab monarchy - an obvious reference to Saudi Arabia - that encourages religious fanaticism. By this time he had given up sponsoring terrorist groups probably due to the fact that UN & US sanctions had cost Libya $30 Billion, and were finally taking their toll.
In 1999 Gaddafi offered to open up Libya's WMD programme to international inspection but the Clinton administration did not pursue the offer as they did not the regard it as a threat. That together with his public pledged commitment to fight Al Qaeda indicates a man who was ready to re-enter the civilised world.
The point remains that through a series of moves we brought Gaddafi & Libya back into the fold without the need to shed US blood and run up enormous debt in a long drawn out dirty war. And it was a success - why didn't we do the same with Saddam & Iraq? Only Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld & Wolfowitz can answer that question, but of course they won't!