In Latest Diatribe, Gadhafi Threatens to Ally With Bin Laden

Libyan Ruler Also Blamed Bin Laden for Revolt

Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi continues to struggle with remaining internally consistent in his interviews, simultaneously blaming Osama bin Laden for the revolt against him and suggesting he might ally with bin Laden against the US if they invaded.

Gadhafi has been blaming al-Qaeda in general and bin Laden in particular for the popular uprising against him, though he has also blamed alcohol and drug-laced Nescafe instant coffee for the uprising, often in the same speeches.

There has been no solid evidence of al-Qaeda’s involvement in Libya’s growing civil war, however, and the organization might well spurn a public offer for Gadhafi’s help given what the recent crackdowns and delusional rants have done to his reputation across the region.

Gadhafi’s latest comments are just another example of a ruler whose grip of reality is clearly tenuous, at best. Even as his forces look to regain military control over East Libya, one cannot help but wonder how long the regime will see his continued rule as tenable.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.