British Government Accused of Appeasing Gadhafi

[seafan]

Source: AOL News

LONDON -- Britain's close relationship with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has come under attack from U.S. officials, human rights campaigners and victims of the Lockerbie bombing after the North African dictator ordered a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters. ..... Susman's criticism was seemingly directed at former Prime Minister Tony Blair's attempts to bring the pariah nation in from the cold. In 2004, Blair held a historic summit with Gadhafi in Tripoli, where he announced a "new relationship" between the U.K. and Libya.

.....

The North African leader agreed to join the fight against al-Qaida, stop funding terrorism and abandon his weapons of mass destruction program. In return, British businesses would set up profitable operations in the country. That same day, Libya announced a $900 million exploration deal with Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell. Three years later, BP signed a comparable offshore oil-exploration deal with Gadhafi.

British arms companies have also profited from the detente. In the first nine months of 2010, British daily The Guardian reports, the U.K. government approved the sale to Libya of military and crowd-control equipment worth $325 million. Items authorized for export included tear gas canisters, small arms ammunition, weapon sights and sniper rifles.

The U.K. Foreign Office revoked all export licenses to Libya this weekend. However, it didn't explain why those exports had been approved in the first place. According to official guidelines, the government is not allowed to "issue an export license if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression."

Read more: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/21/british-government-accused-of-appeasing-moammar-gadhafi/

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Again, the observation: Why are Western governments supporting tyrants who repress their own people?

Are the world's people finally standing up to these deplorable 'business relationships'?

By God, may it be so.

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. You don't call friends Tyrants. They are Autocrats don't you know? n/t

[fascisthunter]

2. business interests seem to be at the heart of why there are dictators

and the know-nothing conservatives just keep waving their flags like morons.

[Gregorian]

3. Look no further than your gas tanks. This is why people have suffered under these tyrants.

People don't get the connection between the life they live and the suffering and damage going on in the world. These dictators usually help our corporations get us the stuff we like.

[Scottybeamer70]

4. It's always.......

about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. There is no other explanation!
More money begets more power, and that is all they care about.....people, be damned!