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'''Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: معمر القذافي, b. 1942) became head of State of [[Libya]] in a coup that he led in 1969, and has ruled it ever since.  In the 1970s, Gaddafi attempted to become assume the leadership position of all Arabs left by the death of President [[Gemal Abdel-Nasser]] of [[Egypt]], but 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 [[Operation El Dorado Canyon|retaliatory bombing of his palace and key Libyan targets]].

'''Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: معمر القذافي, b. 1942) became head of State of [[Libya]] in a coup that he led in 1969, and has ruled it ever since.  In the 1970s, Gaddafi attempted to become assume the leadership position of all Arabs left by the death of President [[Gemal Abdel-Nasser]] of [[Egypt]], but 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 [[Operation El Dorado Canyon|retaliatory bombing of his palace and key Libyan targets]].

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>

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. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4773617.stm] (BBC News).

 

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

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