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[[File:Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi in Dimashq.jpg|thumb|right|200px|"Leader and Guide of the 1969 Revolution."]]

[[File:Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi in Dimashq.jpg|thumb|right|200px|"Leader and Guide of the 1969 Revolution."]]

Colonel '''Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: معمر القذافي, b. 1942 - d. October 20, 2011) was the Head of State of [[Libya]], a [[socialist]] and [[leader]] until the 2011 Libyan civil war. He rose to power through a coup that he led in 1969, and he ruled Libya for more than forty years ending with his capture and death. Once he became the leader of Libya, he renamed all the months in the calendar and published the Green Book, which was a series of pamphlets on democracy, economics, and sociology.   

Colonel '''Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: معمر القذافي, b. 1942 - d. October 20, 2011) was the Head of State of [[Libya]], a [[socialist]] and [[leader]] until the 2011 Libyan civil war. He rose to power through a coup that he led in 1969, and he ruled Libya for more than forty years ending with his capture and death. Once he became the leader of Libya, he renamed all the months in the calendar and published the Green Book, which was a series of pamphlets on democracy, economics, and sociology.   

In the 1970s, Gaddafi attempted to assume the leadership of a pan-Arabic movement, a position left open by the death of President [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] of [[Egypt]]; however, other Arab nations mostly ignored him.  He attempted to extend his influence in Africa by supporting [[Uganda]]'s [[Idi Amin]] in the [[Uganda-Tanzania War]] with military aid and equipment, including [[Tupolev Tu-22|Tu-22]] jet bombers.  In the 1980s, Gaddafi became a sponsor of [[terrorism]] and President [[Ronald Reagan]] ordered a retaliatory bombing of his palace and key Libyan targets (Operation El Dorado Canyon). (In August 2003, Libya agreed to pay $2.7 billion to families of the 270 killed on board flight 103, when it blew up in December 1988 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Just six months after the settlement, Qaddafi was visited by British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Tripoli.) <ref> [http://www.nndb.com/people/641/000026563/ Muammar Qaddafi.] </ref>

In the 1970s, Gaddafi attempted to assume the leadership of a pan-Arabic movement, a position left open by the death of President [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] of [[Egypt]]; however, other Arab nations mostly ignored him.  He attempted to extend his influence in Africa by supporting [[Uganda]]'s [[Idi Amin]] in the [[Uganda-Tanzania War]] with military aid and equipment, including [[Tupolev Tu-22|Tu-22]] jet bombers.  In the 1980s, Gaddafi became a sponsor of [[terrorism]] and President [[Ronald Reagan]] ordered a retaliatory bombing of his palace and key Libyan targets (Operation El Dorado Canyon). (In August 2003, Libya agreed to pay $2.7 billion to families of the 270 killed on board flight 103, when it blew up in December 1988 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Just six months after the settlement, Qaddafi was visited by British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Tripoli.) <ref> [http://www.nndb.com/people/641/000026563/ Muammar Qaddafi.] </ref>

In the 1990s, Gaddafi changed course and severed all ties with terrorism to normalize relations with the West. In 2006, the "decision of the US to restore full diplomatic relations with Libya marks the crowning success of his efforts to have his country accepted back into the international community." <ref> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3336059.stm</ref> [[Condoleezza Rice]] praised Libya for its "excellent co-operation" in the US-led war on terror. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4773617.stm] (BBC News).</ref> Full diplomatic relations with the United States were restored in 2006, and the Gaddafi regime's turnaround has been heralded by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as a model for others to follow.  

In the 1990s, Gaddafi changed course and severed all ties with terrorism to normalize relations with the West. In 2006, the "decision of the US to restore full diplomatic relations with Libya marks the crowning success of his efforts to have his country accepted back into the international community." <ref> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3336059.stm</ref> [[Condoleezza Rice]] praised Libya for its "excellent co-operation" in the US-led war on terror. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4773617.stm] (BBC News).</ref> Full diplomatic relations with the United States were restored in 2006, and the Gaddafi regime's turnaround has been heralded by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as a model for others to follow.  

Gaddafi was a lifelong enemy of [[Israel]] and under his reign Israel was not recognized by Libya. He also expelled Palestinian Arabs from Libya.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/05/world/libya-s-leader-urges-other-arab-countries-to-expel-palestinians.html</ref>

Gaddafi was a lifelong enemy of [[Israel]] and under his reign Israel was not recognized by Libya. He also expelled Palestinian Arabs from Libya.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/05/world/libya-s-leader-urges-other-arab-countries-to-expel-palestinians.html</ref>

[[Nobel Peace Prize]] recipient [[Nelson Mandela]] speaking of the values he shares with Gaddafi, said,

[[Nobel Peace Prize]] recipient [[Nelson Mandela]] speaking of the values he shares with Gaddafi, said,

{{Cquote|In a world where the strong may seek to impose upon the more vulnerable; and where particular nations or groups of nations may still seek to decide the fate of the planet - in such a world respect for multilateralism, moderation of public discourse and a patient search for compromise become even more imperative to save the world from debilitating conflict and enduring inequality. When we dismissed criticism of our friendship with yourself, My Brother Leader, and of the relationship between South Africa and Libya, it was precisely in defence of those values.<ref>http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71656?oid=222537&sn=Detail</ref>}}

{{Cquote|In a world where the strong may seek to impose upon the more vulnerable; and where particular nations or groups of nations may still seek to decide the fate of the planet - in such a world respect for multilateralism, moderation of public discourse and a patient search for compromise become even more imperative to save the world from debilitating conflict and enduring inequality. When we dismissed criticism of our friendship with yourself, My Brother Leader, and of the relationship between South Africa and Libya, it was precisely in defence of those values.<ref>http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71656?oid=222537&sn=Detail</ref>}}

The Libyan people thrived under his leadership. A delegation of medical professionals from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus wrote in an appeal "Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin that after becoming acquainted with Libyan life, it was their view that in few nations did people live in such comfort".  

The Libyan people thrived under his leadership. A delegation of medical professionals from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus wrote in an appeal "Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin that after becoming acquainted with Libyan life, it was their view that in few nations did people live in such comfort".  

==Capture and murder==

==Capture and murder==

Gadafi was brutally murdered by [[NATO]]-armed and -equipped [[jihad]]i rebels during President [[Obama]]'s "humanitarian intervention" in the [[Libyan War of 2011]].<ref>http://socioecohistory.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/corbett-gaddafi-murder-shows-hypocrisy-of-nato-humanitarian-intervention/</ref>   

Gadafi was brutally murdered by [[NATO]]-armed and -equipped [[jihad]]i rebels during [[President Obama]]'s "humanitarian intervention" in the [[Libyan War of 2011]].<ref>http://socioecohistory.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/corbett-gaddafi-murder-shows-hypocrisy-of-nato-humanitarian-intervention/</ref>   

==See also==

==See also==