Libya Completes Its Diplomatic Rehabilitation
A final settlement on lawsuits over terrorism attacks clears the way for a secretary of state visit
Two decades after a Pan Am airliner exploded in the skies over Lockerbie, Scotland, Libya and the United States have settled all outstanding lawsuits by U.S. victims over that incident and other terrorist attacks sponsored by the Libyan government.
The move was the last major step required to allow the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries and to complete the rehabilitation of Libyan strongman Muammar Qadhafi.
It also clears the way for a visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, which could come before the end of the year.
For Libya, the prospect of a normal diplomatic relationship with the United States marks a tremendous transformation from six years ago, when the regime was on the cusp of being added to the Bush administration's "axis of evil" over its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. But in 2003, Qadhafi chose to abandon his weapons program after U.S. and European officials discovered a shipment of nuclear-related centrifuges aboard a German ship bound for Tripoli.
When U.S. News visited Tripoli in 2004, the old U.S. Embassy stood empty and decaying, frozen in time after a hurried 1979 evacuation.
But there were already plenty of signs that Libya had firmly chosen a new path aiming at greater economic prosperity.
Perhaps the area of greatest potential is Libya's oil sector, which was badly neglected during years of economic sanctions. U.S. oil firms returned to Libya after Qadhafi's initial rapprochement with Washington in 2003, but the settlement of outstanding claims could prompt other U.S. firms to re-enter the Libyan market.
Reader Comments
Am not surprised
The reason so much of the world outside the United States hates the superpower is its very questionable and superpowered foreign policy. If you can support the superpower in its quest for foreign bases, oil and other business while loading it on your country's people the US would be a very good partner at looking the other side. Libya is worse now to its own people than it had been years past but since Gadhafi has been fearful enough to tow the US line of 'internationalised democracy' he is on the good books and his despotic record has been wiped clean. Doesn't matter what the ordinary Libyan thinks or feels as long as Gadhafi the 'democrat' can keep a tight lid on what gets out to the international public.
Muammar Qadhafi, Oli , Human Rights and the US Interset
I am amazed and disgusted at the US approach towards Libya Qadhafi Regime and at the attempt of restoring diplomatic ties with the TYRANT of Libya. Qadhafi Libya hasn't changed, he still the same despotic old tyrant with abysmal human rights records abuses.
I urge all Americans to press on their politicians to not only be interested in just protecting the American interest and the big multinational oil companies But to give due consideration and support to change the dire stress situation of human right violation and abuses that is going in the big fortress so called the Jamahiriya.
Muammar Qadhafi
Disgusting is the only word needed to discribe Muammar Qadhafi. The only reasons the terrorist agreed to settle the Pan Am airlines bombing and related lawsuits is because of self preserverance. Oh, almost forget the re-establishment of the Libyan oil industry. Thank goodness U.S. oil firms have found their way back into the picture. I'm sure the price I pay for a gallon of gas is about to drop dramatically.
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