Truth about Gaddafi

[tfg345i4u5lw]

It seems like most people in America believe Muammar Gaddafi was an evil and oppressive dictator. But there are also plenty of people who think he was a good leader.

Here is an interesting YouTube video of Wesley Clark (an American 4-star general) speaking about plans to invade Libya back in 2007. The video also shows footage of thousands of Libyan civilians who gathered to demonstrate and ask NATO to leave Libya. I suggest you watch the whole thing, it contains lots of different perspectives. I apologize for the corny music in advance.

[video=youtube;COdKmHkPoOo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COdKmHkPoOo&feature=related[/video]

Sooo here is the thread starter: What is the truth about Libya? Why did NATO invade Libya? What was the motive? Was Gaddafi really as evil as the mainstream media portrayed him? All these things I can't find the answers to and I would love to hear your opinions.

Edit: I just realized there is some pretty graphic shit in that video. So... yeeaaahh...

 

[tfg345i4u5lw]

anti-gaddafi...

[video=youtube;0PLpuu2rDPk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PLpuu2rDPk&feature=related[/video]

 

[Apone]

I watched the first video and I thought the melodramatic score over all the pro-Gaddafi bits sort of sent the whole thing over the top-- especially since it stopped abruptly whenever Obama came up. If there were a more balanced perspective on the whole thing, I'd be more likely to believe it, but that video is just so over-the-top manipulative that I have a hard time taking it seriously… anything that manages to include the time-tested burning babies, nationalistic songs, unbridled patriotism and Hollywood strings just isn't going to cut it.

I definitely don't think that America is innocent and I'm sure that the oil had something to do with it… apparently British and American oil companies backed the regime that Gaddafi toppled?? I don't even know what to believe nowadays… but it is a pretty compelling argument, based on what I know/don't know.

Sorry I haven't watched the second video yet.

 

[tfg345i4u5lw]

I watched the first video and I thought the melodramatic score over all the pro-Gaddafi bits sort of sent the whole thing over the top-- especially since it stopped abruptly whenever Obama came up. If there were a more balanced perspective on the whole thing, I'd be more likely to believe it, but that video is just so over-the-top manipulative that I have a hard time taking it seriously… anything that manages to include the time-tested burning babies, nationalistic songs, unbridled patriotism and Hollywood strings just isn't going to cut it.

I definitely don't think that America is innocent and I'm sure that the oil had something to do with it… apparently British and American oil companies backed the regime that Gaddafi toppled?? I don't even know what to believe nowadays… but it is a pretty compelling argument, based on what I know/don't know.

Sorry I haven't watched the second video yet.

I agree, the first vid is melodramatic, a bit corny too. It's obvious they are trying to tap into peoples emotions. To be honest I didn't even finish watching the video before I posted it. LOL.

Edit: There was some reliable stuff in it though. For example that was really an American general talking about plans to bomb Libya and Iran back in 2007. America used the protests as justification to get involved in Libya and obviously in 2007 the protests hadn't happened yet, so I found that interesting. Also Gaddafi really did build the Great Manmade River.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Manmade_River

 

[tfg345i4u5lw]

A fascinating documentary about the history of the NATO and Gaddafi. If you are ever bored and have an hour to spare I suggest you watch it.

[video=youtube;Anb6_MKyywM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=Anb6_MKyywM[/video]

 

[toska]

I thought it was all because he lost control of the oil fields when they were taken over by Al Qaeda trained rebels. I'll have to watch the videos when I have time...

 

[tfg345i4u5lw]

[MENTION=541]toska[/MENTION]

If you get time I suggest watching "Our Best Villian". It's by far the most objective of the three vids... IMO

 

[bionic]

I was watching some show tonight that Dan Rather was on and he said that Gaddafi smelled like Cartier cologne. It made me giggle 'cause I don't doubt it one bit. That guy knew how to roll in style.

Personally, I keep an open mind when it comes to learning about foreign leaders. I usually don't care for the US perspective since it tends to be bias against them. I like knowing the ugly with the pretty. I can see a similar argument with Stalin as well, especially since the US had different sentiments towards him during different times.

 

[Trifoilum]

The thing about dictators is that they are, in one way or another, doing SOMETHING. And in a way, that something must have been right for at least a certain group of citizens.

If that something turned out to be not so right anymore, then what had happened will happen. And not only from the citizens; from other politician as well.

It would be good to consider -who- are the supporters of Gaddafi/Kaddafi/Qaddafi/GAAAAAH and who are the detractors.

My country's flavor of dictator (srsly, 13 years earlier !) has his own of supporters. Every now and then, a sentiment of nostalgia was omitted by your next-door neighbors, friends, acquaintances; "*sigh* when it was -his- time, things were SO MUCH EASIER." A perception missing the effect of politics and the fact that it was, after all, a corrupting gash of wound that kept festering and festering until it was too late.

It'd be unfair to say Gaddafi didn't do anything. For better or worse.
It's easy to say your dearest America had plans for oil$$$$money$$$$powah$$$$control$$$$, but manipulation comes in different forms. Sometimes they create something; other times they simply work on something that had already existed.
I'm sorry to not make any point, but in issues like this the opinions were surely mixed.