molson_golden2002 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080905/ap_on_...e/us_libya_rice No negotiating with terrorists now! I wonder if she will be flying back over Lockerbei? Wearing his trademark fez and a green pin of Africa, Gadhafi bowed slightly and put his right hand over his heart in a traditional Arab greeting to welcome Rice. The two did not shake hands, but Gadhafi did shake the hands of Rice's male aides. They then exchanged pleasantries, with Rice offering Gadhafi greetings from President Bush and Gadhafi asking about the hurricanes that have hit or are headed to the U.S. mainland, before dozens of reporters, photographers and television cameramen were ushered out. Their small talk belied almost 30 years of dismal U.S.-Libyan relations that hit their low point in the 1980s when Reagan ordered the retaliatory airstrike and Gadhafi swore revenge. The United States withdrew its ambassador from Libya in 1972 after Gadhafi renounced agreements with the West and vilified the United States in speeches and public statements. Washington cut off diplomatic relations with Libya after a mob sacked and burned the American Embassy in 1979. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080905/ap_on_...e/us_libya_rice No negotiating with terrorists now! I wonder if she will be flying back over Lockerbei? If he renounces terrorism, is he a terrorist? Seriously...on the one hand, normalizing relations with Libya is a not insignificant foreign policy accomplishment. But I'm not quite sure how I feel personally about normalizing relations with Qadaffi Duck, considering I had a friend on Pan Am 103... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBinVA Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 In a stunning and surprise about-face on December 20, 2003, Libya said it would give up its Biological and Chemical Weapons programs for developing weapons of mass destruction and allow unconditional inspection and verification. The official reason given by Colonel al-QADHAFI was that “his country was ready to play its role in building a world free from all forms of terrorism.”. The favored speculation is that he was fearful of “regime change” as was done in Iraq against Saddam Hussein by the West. Libya has not signed the1993 Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty. It seems to me that we DO talk to countries willing to become part of the international community and not the other way around. It seems our past enemies are now some of our best allies, only after we defeat them and show them the light to freedom and democracy. It might not happen in all cases, but we should always try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 If he renounces terrorism, is he a terrorist? Seriously...on the one hand, normalizing relations with Libya is a not insignificant foreign policy accomplishment. But I'm not quite sure how I feel personally about normalizing relations with Qadaffi Duck, considering I had a friend on Pan Am 103... Sorry to hear you lost a friend on that flight that must be hard to deal with. No matter how evil a leader is it's important to communicate. If we didn't do that in the 70's with China then semi-normalization of relations with China would have never happened. It's sad but true. Libya also ended it's program for WMD's in 2003. Which makes the meeting a little easier to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Another reason was that Saddam was doing the nuclear research IN HIS COUNTRY. He spilled the beans about what was done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBorn1960 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080905/ap_on_...e/us_libya_rice No negotiating with terrorists now! I wonder if she will be flying back over Lockerbei? guess we are dammned if we bomb em.... dammned if we talk to em..... I though the great OBAM wants us all to sit in a circle hold hands and sing without preconditions..... but when [people do meet our preconditions we cant talk to them.... have i got it right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Another reason was that Saddam was doing the nuclear research IN HIS COUNTRY. He spilled the beans about what was done. Link guess we are dammned if we bomb em.... dammned if we talk to em..... I though the great OBAM wants us all to sit in a circle hold hands and sing without preconditions..... but when [people do meet our preconditions we cant talk to them.... have i got it right Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBorn1960 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Link Link link to what.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Link Link I remember hearing it when he realized that he was next after Saddam. That was what, 2003 or 2004. I don't hab]ve a link, but I have mentioned it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RI Bills Fan Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I remember hearing it when he realized that he was next after Saddam. That was what, 2003 or 2004. I don't hab]ve a link, but I have mentioned it before. In other words just more "Wacka BS." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JK2000 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I remember hearing it when he realized that he was next after Saddam. That was what, 2003 or 2004. I don't hab]ve a link, but I have mentioned it before. I'm shocked! You never make unsubstantiated claims! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Link LINK Link Link You're welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In-A-Gadda-Levitre Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 guess we are dammned if we bomb em.... dammned if we talk to em..... I though the great OBAM wants us all to sit in a circle hold hands and sing without preconditions..... but when [people do meet our preconditions we cant talk to them.... have i got it right maybe it's me, but I don't understand your post after the Obama slam. Who is it that we can't talk to after they meet our preconditions? And please explain North Korea to me... I could be wrong, but it sure looked like we talked to them (with others of course) without any preconditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 And please explain North Korea to me... I could be wrong, but it sure looked like we talked to them (with others of course) without any preconditions. Actually, the preconditions were that they'd have to participate in six-party talks on their nuclear program. We categorically refused to talk to them otherwise, so that "with others of course" turns out to be a pretty big precondition. Iran would have been a better example...we had ambassadorial-level meetings with them without preconditions. Bush's foreign policy has actually gotten pretty smart over the past three years...a big reason for that (probably the biggest) is abandoning the stupid, shallow, facile absolutism of his first term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In-A-Gadda-Levitre Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Actually, the preconditions were that they'd have to participate in six-party talks on their nuclear program. We categorically refused to talk to them otherwise, so that "with others of course" turns out to be a pretty big precondition. Iran would have been a better example...we had ambassadorial-level meetings with them without preconditions. Bush's foreign policy has actually gotten pretty smart over the past three years...a big reason for that (probably the biggest) is abandoning the stupid, shallow, facile absolutism of his first term. I hear you on that, I guess I'm thinking just because the nuclear program is on the table doesn't mean they had to concede anything, but it did make a huge difference in retrospect. I also agree it has gotten better...although the saber rattling is stupid. Maybe I'm deluding myself, but it sure seems like they could have a big affect on Iran's nuke development if they offered a lot more help and less negative rhetoric. As an example, Iran says they need nukes to generate electricity, which might just be a smokescreen of course. The US has a lot of expertise in generating plants and other non-nuke power that we could offer them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBorn1960 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 You're welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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