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Gaddafi highlights nuclear 'double standards'

By Andrew Woodcock, Press Association

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi today said that the Palestinians should be allowed to have nuclear weapons if the world does not act to disarm Israel of its arsenal.

Colonel Gaddafi accused the international community of "double standards" because Israel is allowed to maintain a barely-hidden nuclear capability while Iran comes under massive pressure not to develop its own.

In a wide-ranging interview with Sky News, Col Gaddafi said he was "sorry" about the death of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher, who was shot outside the Libyan Embassy in London in 1984, but insisted he had no idea who was responsible.

Just months after the fierce controversy over the return of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi's return to Libya on compassionate grounds, he described UK-Libyan relations as "very good" - claiming that the links continued on an economic and commercial level throughout his country's years as an international pariah.

And he said the Nobel Peace Prize for US President Barack Obama was "premature" and inspired by "sycophancy" on the part of the awarding committee.

Col Gaddafi smoothed the path for Libya's return to the international community when he announced in 2003 that he was giving up weapons of mass destruction programmes.

But asked if he would advise Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to do the same, he told Sky: "Iran, up to now, hasn't said it is manufacturing a nuclear weapon: Iran says it is enriching uranium.

"If Iran were to manufacture nuclear weapons, nuclear arms, then all of us, including us, will be against them. But Iran has not said so."

Denouncing the "double standards" which saw Iran treated differently from Israel, he added: "If the Israelis have the nuclear weapons and the nuclear capabilities, then it is the right of the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Saudis to have the same - even the Palestinians should have the same because their counterparts, or their opponents, have nuclear capabilities. Why not?

"Even the state of Palestine, when one day it is established, should have a nuclear capability because the counterpart of such a state, the Israeli state, already has nuclear capabilities.

"If we don't want this situation, we'll have to disarm the Israelis from their nuclear weapons and capabilities."

Col Gaddafi was asked what his message was to the family of Wpc Fletcher, who are still waiting for her killers to be brought to trial 25 years after her death.

He replied: "I know that such a thing happened. I know a policewoman was shot and killed when she was doing her duty.

"She is not an enemy to us, and we are sorry all the time and our sympathy, because she was on duty, she was there to protect the Libyan Embassy.

"But this is the problem that should be solved - who did it? That is the question. It is always like a persistent matter."

Col Gaddafi said that his country's relations with the UK were "very good" a decade after the restoration of full diplomatic links, which were broken off following Wpc Fletcher's murder.

"We have economic relations, investment relations, British companies, banks and, indeed, investments over there in England," said the Libyan leader.

"Let me say that economic relations were good even during the time of Lockerbie between our two countries. They were never affected.

"Even during the time when we had no diplomatic relations, when diplomatic relations were cut off, British companies were working in the oil sector and British banks were dealing with Libyan banks and we had commercial ties and economic relations never affected, although we had no diplomatic relations."

Asked about the award of the Nobel Prize to Mr Obama, Col Gaddafi said: "It goes without saying he is an African and we are proud that we Africans, we on the African continent, Africa as a whole, presents someone who is an African to be President of the United States of America.

"But, as regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I do believe he deserves it, but to be given right now I think it is some sort of hypocrisy, sycophancy, and I think it is premature. It is not due yet."

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Comments

[info]ajwimble wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 12:38 pm (UTC)
As much as I hate to admit it, Gaddafi does have a point.

The attitude of the west towards Nuclear Weapons is profoundly hypocritical. We threaten, and occasionally invade, any country that looks like it is planning to develop Nuclear Weapons, unless of course it happens to be a friend. It is not only Isreal that has developed Nuclear weapons without any real attempt by the west to stop them. The same is true of India and Pakistan. The major Nuclear powers also ignore the fact that the Anti-Nuclear treaties do not just forbid countries like Iran from developing the Bomb, they also impose a obligation on the existing powers to work towards total disarmament, something which is clearly not being done.

[info]cj777 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:36 pm (UTC)
Therefore, does that mean Israel rules the world by default? 5m American Jews rule the world? How did this come about?
[info]peds31 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:51 pm (UTC)
Is Gaddafi's point that the Japanesse are allowed to drop two nuclear bombs on the USA with your support ajwimble.
Iran is a signatory with the IAEA.
[info]dastu11 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 03:32 pm (UTC)
Iran is a signatory with the IAEA, and they have the right to enrich the uranium as per rule.No agency or organisation never produced a credible evidence about Iran's nuclear weapon program. Israel,India,Pakistan and N Korea all have nuclear weapons and they all non-signatories of with IAEA.But without considering this, the Western Govs are going after Iran.Is this justice?
the record
[info]ehross wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 12:49 pm (UTC)
Iran has a pristine record in the middle east when viewed against the US and the Palestinian Jews.
double standards
[info]ejh16 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 12:52 pm (UTC)
Gaddafi is absolutely right. Why are certain nations permitted to have these weapons while other are not? America has been responsible for the deaths of more people in the past 50 years or so than any other nation in the world, yet it is one of the countries that is allowed to keep these most dangerous weapons. Apparently, the degree to which a nation is a menace to other nations is not a factor to be considered when it comes to who can and cannot have nuclear weapons. Obviously, no one should have these horrible weapons, but it does seem odd that the most dangerous countries are the ones that may have them while a nation like Iran that has no history of attacking other countries is intimidated and harrassed and threatened with military attack if they even appear to be interested in producing nuclear weapons (which, ironically, are the only sure way to deter an illegal American military invasion). Double standard, indeed. http://theunpeople.blogspot.com/
Re: double standards
[info]dastu11 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 04:06 pm (UTC)
You are right ejh16.If a prostitute can talk about about virginity, the US can talk about peace.The Iraq war waged by US alone killed more than 1.3 million people.US keeps army bases in about 40 countries.It attacked many countries in the past, organised coup,killed head of states, and continuing it's aggressive policies.
Mods day off
[info]lkdamo wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 12:56 pm (UTC)
How can the British say they know about an Iranian plan to make nuclear bombs, while at the same time saying that they know nothing about the Israeli ones that exist. Everybody knows they have them execpt our Governments.

Why is the PM not asked about this all the time?
Can Israeli Nucks hit the UK in 45 minuets? (or a few hours anyway)
If so what is the Pm's plan to counter this?

It must be the mods day off seen as we can talk about Iran and Israel today.

If the Zionists and the Jew haters buggered off, it might happen more often, but what can you do, they have opinions too. Even if they don't lend to debate.
Re: Mods day off
[info]ancientoneuk wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 01:05 pm (UTC)
Perhaps if the Zionists and the religious retards in Israel stopped committing atrocities in Gaza against an illegally occupied and oppressed people, then people like me would see no need to post so much...

Hey, theres an incentive! Get Obama to get the peace process going to shut me up ^^

It would be almost funny if it wasn't such a grim subject eh?
Re: Mods day off
[info]lkdamo wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 01:36 pm (UTC)
I didn't have you in mind btw, I was thinking of the people who just rant and never make any sense.
Re: Mods day off
[info]ancientoneuk wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 06:41 pm (UTC)
Even I would be the first to admit I do go on a bit... but I do know what you mean.
Double standards? I think so.
[info]rayamiles wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 01:07 pm (UTC)

Yeah, i agree the nutter does have a point; the West is performing summersaults to prevent one aggressively religious country that refuses inspection of its nuclear facilities and constantly ignores UN resolutions from acquiring nuclear weapons, but is happy that another country in a roughly similar position to has a stockpile of over 350 warheads.

And we wonder why the Arabs distrust us......


Understanding the double standard
[info]graham_casey wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 01:27 pm (UTC)
Why does this double standard exist? why doesn't our media debate it? why is Israel not in breach of many UN resolutions and under sanctions? why does it get away with having a clandestine nuclear and biologic programme whilst Iran gets pilloried?

Whole volumes could be written on the subject but possibly one quote from a former Israeli PM sums up the case:

Wednesday, October 3, 2001
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM -- An acrimonious argument erupted during the Israeli cabinet weekly session last week between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his foreign Minister Shimon Peres during which Sharon reportedly yelled at Peres, saying "don't worry about American pressure, we control America."
According the Israeli Hebrew radio Kol Yisrael Wednesday, Peres warned Sharon that refusing to heed incessant American requests for a cease-fire with the Palestinians would endanger Israeli interests and turn the US against us.
At this point, a furious Sharon reportedly turned toward Peres, saying "every time we do something you tell me America will do this and will do that . . . I want to tell you something very clear: Don't worry about American pressure on Israel. We, the Jewish people, control America, and the Americans know it."

If you control the Superpower then you can get away with anything.
Re: Understanding the double standard
[info]powerbenny wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 01:55 pm (UTC)
The double standard exists and Israel are not in breach of UN Security Council resolutions because every time a Security Council resolution to chastise or limit Israel is put forwards it is vetoed by the USA. As Chomsky sad in his book "Hegemony Or Survival" this action almost always results in what he calls the Double Veto whereby not only is the resolution stoped but the mainstream press, especially true in the USA itself, then fails to report on the veto.
Re: Understanding the double standard
[info]cj777 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:29 pm (UTC)
So does that mean Israel rules the world? I thought it was China!
Re: Understanding the double standard
[info]corporeal_v001 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:50 pm (UTC)

Just the Western world (at the moment).
Re: Understanding the double standard
[info]ancientoneuk wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 06:45 pm (UTC)
But not for much longer it would seem as the American's think Israel will self-destruct in the next decade or two and America simply hasn't the funds to keep underwriting Israel's murderous policies to its neighbours.

It is very likely that when Israel loses its big "stick" in the form of blanket American support, Israel will be in a very dire position.
Re: Understanding the double standard
[info]corporeal_v001 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 07:02 pm (UTC)

This event has been prophesied thousands of years ago. The prophecy is about the Jews as a race, not about specifically about Palestine/Israel.

The prophecy states that there will come a time of reckoning for their actions against God and man, when there will be no hiding place for Jews. Its one of the end-of-days prophecies.

Sounds like a calamity awaits them, but to a large extent it seems to be self inflicted.
Banks & Oil
[info]snowdonwatcher wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:37 pm (UTC)
I agree with what has been said about double standards in other posted comments.

The piece that made me smile is that despite the fact we did not approve of Col Gaddafi, did not like WPC Fletcher being shot, were underneath a PanAm flight that was blown apart etc., we still managed to keep the banking system going & invest in oil!

Good old UK, knows which side the bread is buttered!
Hurrah for double standards!
[info]rationalist99 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:42 pm (UTC)
There is something of a double standard here but….
If you look at the history of something like the Roman Empire, it achieved peace by either conquering it’s neighbours or forming alliances with them.
Peace was maintained by one side being much stronger than the other.

For instance, someone I knew who lived in Northern Ireland told me that communities would be peaceful depending on a demographic structure.
A community that was 10% Catholic and 90% Protestant would be peaceful.
A community that was 90% Catholic and 10% Protestant would be peaceful.
A community that was 50% Catholic and 50% Protestant would NOT be peaceful, however.


According to Boris Johnson’s book on Rome, it was quite possible to live in Roman Gaul without seeing a soldier in your lifetime.
Re: Hurrah for double standards!
[info]cj777 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:50 pm (UTC)
So, just to get my head around it, 5m American Jews rule the world and that equates to peach for everybody because they are so large and powerful just like the Roman empire?
Re: Hurrah for double standards!
[info]rationalist99 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:58 pm (UTC)


Actually the Israelis could not use their nuclear weapons against the Palestinians without killing their own people off via radioactive poisoning.
Israel minus the West Bank is only seven miles wide at it's narrowest point.
Re: Hurrah for double standards!
[info]snowdonwatcher wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 03:19 pm (UTC)
So if we follow this line of thought, would I be right in assuming that a ONE state solution, in which all the exiled Palestinians went home, & the whole of Israel & Palestine was one country, would result in peace because the new country would be 90% Palestinian & maybe only 10% Israeli.

Wow, what an idea, I like it!
Re: Hurrah for double standards!
[info]rationalist99 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 03:36 pm (UTC)

If Israel allowed Palestinian refugees to return, would they really make up only 10% of the population.
Whilst it is true that the 1947-48 war created 800,000 Arab refugees, it is surely an anomaly that their 4 million descendents are classified as refugees. This is quite unique, a status which is afforded to no other group of refugees in the world. For instance, Hindus fled Pakistan when India was partitioned when it gained independence. How much do we hear about the “right-to-return” of Hindus to their ancestral homelands in Pakistan? And if they did would they not be treated as second-class citizens because of Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws against Islam? The Indian Republic has no such blasphemy laws favouring one religious group.
He does have a point
[info]corporeal_v001 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 02:47 pm (UTC)

I would certainly stop the casual massacares Isreal inficts on its occupied and its neighbours...
Gaddafi told the truth.
[info]dastu11 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 03:20 pm (UTC)
Although he is a dictator, he told a truth. The open support to the rogue state Israel, by the Western Governments is the main reason for the dangerous situation in the Middle East. They are trying to impose a peace treaty which is acceptable to Israel with the help of corrupt Fatah faction lead by Mahmud Abbas.
[info]fashanu88 wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 04:25 pm (UTC)
it seems that he western media only report stories like then when they are 'from the mouth' of people like Gaddafi, as it is presumed that this will somehow water down the effect (with the assumption being that people in the UK will not trust the point of view of someone like Gaddafi)

however, as is the way of the world these days, the people who should be telling us the truth, don't; and those that we (are supposed) to suspect of lying, do. Sad irony of the World post 9/11
what are nuclear weapons good for?
[info]mynystrylogy wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 04:34 pm (UTC)
I think it is a proof of human's stupidity to keep nuclear weapons when we already know about their destructive power. We all know if there is a nuclear war it will make this planet inhabitable but yet the stupid politicians in many countries keep doing their war games ignoring all the danger that they represent. Any country should have nuclear weapons. There is so much hypocrisy in the western powers; they complain about countries developing weapons of mass destruction, while US, UK, France, etc, keep arsenals of nuclear bombs. If those western politicians really want a world free of weapons of mass destruction, why they don't start setting the example and dismantling their arsenal? Politics are such a dirty game.
This power maniacal Islamist fascist dictator Gaddafi should shut up!
[info]nooraza wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 05:06 pm (UTC)
This Ghadaafi is a war criminal, who has been suspected of arming Islamist terrorists all over, whether in Mindanao, southern Thailand or the tragic Lockerbie bombing, besides ruling his country Stalinist-style! Why is he being listened to, instaed of being hauled to the Hague?!
[info]scu1pture wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 06:10 pm (UTC)
Gaddafi makes a very reasonable point,
the zionists have eyewateringly huge stockpiles of nuclear weapons of mass destruction,
and the US or UK can barely bring themselves to even whisper a word about them.
and the zionists have shown the willingness to indiscriminately and illegally use wmds against innocent people.

but when it comes to iran *legally* enriching uranium for *peaceful* purposes,
the 'west' almost cannot get the words out fast enough and often enough, condemning iran in 'the strongest possible terms'.

Double Standards of the worst kind!
Roadblock to Peace
[info]terribleblodge wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 07:25 pm (UTC)
Not only does Israel maintain a dangerous arsenal of weapons of mass destruction but they have continually waged wars of aggression against their neighbors. Not only are they a threat to Mid-East peace but also to world security and stability. To not take away their nuclear arsenal by any means necessary is not only extremely dangerous but it is exceedingly irresponsible. I am sick and tired of the dangerous right wing Israeli madmen terrorizing the world!
The most dangerous flashpoint
[info]ewiak wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 07:43 pm (UTC)
Iran should not arouse concern. Georgia is the most dangerous flashpoint. The Bible says: "At the appointed time [the king of the north = Russia] will return back [will regain the influence, which it lost after the break-up of the Soviet Union] and come into the south [many indicate that this might be Georgia], but it will not be as the former [1921] or as the latter [2008]. For the dwellers of coastlands of Kittim [the West] will come against him, and he will be humbled, and will return." (Daniel 11:29,30a) Then Iran will be humbled also. "But ships will come from the direction of Kittim, troubling Asshur [Russia] and troubling Eber [inhabiting on the other side the Euphrates]." (Numbers 24:24a, BBE)

At that time, peace will be taken from the earth and the "great sword" - nuclear sword - will be used. (Revelation 6:4) However, it will be neither the great tribulation nor "the end of the world" (Armageddon). As Jesus foretold, that will be "the beginning of birth pains". (Mathew 24:7,8)

If the Heavens planned a full return of Russia (and much suggests this) the present economic crisis will deepen. Then also the European Union and NATO will not stands.

In the same way the earlier prophecy had fulfilled: "And (he) [the king of the north = Russia] will go back (to) his land with great wealth [1945]; and his heart (will be) against the holy covenant [state atheism]; and will act effectively; and turned back to his own land [the break-up of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, the return of Russian troops to country]." (Daniel 11:28)
kweliyangu
[info]kweliyangu wrote:
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 10:02 pm (UTC)
nooraza: you may have a point about Ghaddafi and his war crimes. But credibility in such a hasty declaration is sadly wanting, given that another even more deadly war criminal may be the next EU president. Just in case you forgot, his name is Tony Blair. And the only way to shut him up is have him face the War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague. Europe appears to have taken it a step further by actually rewarding a certified war criminal.
Gaddafi highlights nuclear 'double standards'
[info]koradi wrote:
Tuesday, 27 October 2009 at 01:21 am (UTC)
I can think of only one country to ever use a nuclear weapon.... good old USA (twice).
Fact about the Libyan Embassy shooting
[info]rabbit63 wrote:
Tuesday, 27 October 2009 at 07:35 am (UTC)
Of course Gaddafi doesn;t have a clue who shot Fletcher. The MOSSAD sniper who got PC Fletcher lived until he passed away a couple of years ago, less than thirty kilometers from me he in Perth, Western Australia. For the record. He didn't even fire from the Libyan embassy.
Re: Fact about the Libyan Embassy shooting?
[info]rayamiles wrote:
Tuesday, 27 October 2009 at 08:20 am (UTC)
That must be why the British police found the shell case from the bullet that killed the police constable inside the Libyan Embassy.

There is no end to the cunning of these Mossad assassins........
Dowble standards
[info]freemind1991 wrote:
Tuesday, 27 October 2009 at 09:08 am (UTC)
The sad thing is no matter what has been said no change will occur, Gaddafi's words will go unheard and there will always be double standards in this world, no matter how much we try to eradicate it. Just as the Israeli government is doing today (Killing innocent Palestinians and slowly reaching their goal of ethnic cleansing) any other superpower in the future will have its own people in mind when making decisions, even though it is unlikely to be as radical as the Israeli government is, it will still exist and in many forms, so our task is not to eradicate double standards but to weaken its forms.
There is a maniac in the ME with nukes; Nazirael
[info]fumanchuria wrote:
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 at 01:50 am (UTC)
Israel is a country of liars, cheats and thieves; they richly deserve what is coming their way. They are a Fascist and cruel country. People such as settlers who do what they do to Palestinians are absolute scum.
Israel is a bully who destabilises the whole area so the sooner balance is restored the better. But, our leaders cry 'foul' without, on the face of it, bothering to link this to the unutterable indeed ineffable cruelties forced on Palestinians and Palestine by thieving, lying cheating Nazirael Israelis.
Based on this irrefutable logic, Iran should get the bomb as soon as possible, and the sooner the better.

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