L'AQUILA, Italy (AFP) – US President Barack Obama shook hands warmly on Thursday with Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, long reviled in Washington.
The landmark handshake took place as leaders from major economic powers and emerging nations prepared to take a group photo at a summit in L'Aquila, central Italy.
Relations between Libya and the United States have repeatedly see-sawed over the past 30 years. Diplomatic relations were broken in 1981 and only restored in 2004 after Libya renounced its quest for weapons of mass destruction.
However, relations remain strained mainly over compensation for terrorism victims in the 1980s.
The dispute was put to rest at the end of 2008 when Libya gave 1.5 billion dollars in compensation to US victims of the Lockerbie attack, which caused 270 deaths in 1988, and an attack on a Berlin nightclub where US soldier used to go. Three were killed in that attack.
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14 comments:
That handshake doesn't appear to be warm. More of a formality if anything. Im sure President Obama didn't invite him out for drinks afterward.
Evil Muslim Brotherhood !
yo brotha
They kill our soldiers and he shakes his hand. They kill our soldiers we should kill them. This man is a fool.
Anon 11:04am
Look in the mirror for the fool.
10:13 can you be more shallow?
You dont want to go into the mirror with me. You might not like what I show you about you.
Gotta look in the mirror for yourself there buddy.
Every second of everyday of my life involves my Mirror, am I perfect,No. But I try to follow the rules of my mirror as hard as I can.
Good. We've had enough cowboy diplomacy.
Do any of the anonymous commenters on here have any idea of history, OR actually READ the article.
Diplomatic relations with Libya were restored in 2004 by then President George W Bush (a Republican) and announced to the United States in a televised address. Bush used this as evidence that the pressure by the international community against nuclear weapons hadbeen successful (imagine that - Bush touting diplomacy.)
Obama shook his hand. He did not condone everything he has done.
Rumsfeld went to Iraq once and shook the hand of Saddam Hussien, ad I believe he had different intentions than Obama has with Libya.
Shaking his hand simply means that Obama is courteous and professional unlike that baffoon W, nothing more. If you would recall, in 2006 (Bush administration) the United States State Department announced it would fully restore diplomatic relations with Libya if it dismantled its weapons programs, which Libya did. So what is the problem?
One thing that you have to give to Obama is that he has finally restored America's image in the eyes of foreign countries.
Thank you Dan and Alex. well said.
One of the most dangerous men in the world
along with ahmahdinijad
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