Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has denounced the U.N. Security Council,
defended the Taliban, and critiqued historic events during his first
appearance before the General Assembly.
During a rambling, 96-minute speech, Mr. Gadhafi delivered remarks on a
broad range of issues. Among them was his assertion of the need for $8
trillion in reparations for Africa from its former colonial powers.
Wearing brown robes and at times holding the U.N. charter, the Libyan
leader called for giving Africa a permanent seat on the U.N. Security
Council. He also criticized the United Nations for failing to stop some
65 wars since its creation in 1945.
He denounced U.S. military action in Iraq and Vietnam, and defended
Afghanistan's Taliban, saying the group should be allowed to create a
religious state. Despite those criticisms, he still praised U.S.
President Barack Obama, saying he wished Mr. Obama could remain
president forever.
Ties between Libya and the United States have long been strained during
Mr. Gadhafi's four decades in power. But relations improved in 2003
after Libya publicly abandoned its weapons of mass destruction program.
The move has not appeased critics who still are angry at Libya's role
in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, that
killed 270 people. Last month, Scotland released the terminally ill
Libyan bomber, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, from prison.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate approved a resolution condemning Libya's
"lavish" welcome home ceremony for Megrahi, and demanding that Libya
apologize for the celebration. The measure also denounces Scotland's
decision to free the convicted bomber.
Some of the anger regarding Lockerbie is also behind local opposition
in New York to where the Libyan leader stays while he is visiting.
Mr. Gadhafi often takes a large Bedouin tent on his trips abroad to
meet and entertain guests. But this week New York authorities ordered
workers to stop building the tent on an large estate owned by real
estate developer and television personality Donald Trump (in Bedford), about 70 kilometers northeast of New York City.