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Muammar al-Gaddafi[[image:images.jpg align="right"]]
Muammar al-Gaddafi could has some very crazy ideas about how to run a country. He has been in power for about 41 years after he gained power during a bloodless coup**.** Gaddafi supports anti-western extremists. He made Lybia a hub for Pan-Arabism and Pan-Islamism and he wants to spread Islam to every country around the world. He attempted to create a Jamahiriya, a government completely controlled by the people. Gaddafi does not acknowledge the existence of Berbers, the native North African people, he claims they are a myth created by colonists**.** Gaddafi started planning to over throw the monarchy while he was in military college. Besides training in the Lybian military he trained in Greece and the United Kingdom. When he was 27 he became a Colonel in the Lybian army and eventually led a coup that overthrew King Idris.

Though Gaddafi has done many things that go against everything the United States believe in, but that didn't stop George W. Bush from granting Lybia immunity from terror-related lawsuits. He also dissmissed all compensations cases that were pending with the United States. He also sent Condoleezza Rice to be the first Secertary of State to visit Lybia in over 50 years. He tried to revamp relations and even supported Gaddafi while he was in office. Gaddafi even offerd Lybia's weapons to be inspected, Bush declined. The United States soon took Lybia off the list of countrys supporting terrorism and restored full relations with them.
 * References[[image:Moammar-Gaddafi[1].jpg width="306" height="260" align="left"]]:**
 * George W. Bush**

Silvio Berlusconi agreed to support Lybia with five million dollars. He hosted Gaddafi in Rome and invite him to an international summit. Berlusconi even visited Lybia to help heal realtions. His interaction with Gaddafi was strongly opposed and protested by many in Italy. Human rights groups were the main protesters because they thought that Gadaffi was not treating his people fairly.
 * Silvio Berlusconi**

Blair was very supportive of Gaddafi and was even one of the first leaders in decades to visit Lybia and meet with Gaddafi publicly. They said that Gaddafi was moving in a radical change for the better of the country and even stated that they were a valuable ally for the internationl war on terror. This all came after Gaddafi announced that Lybia had an active weapons of mass destruction program.
 * Tony Blair**

Due to recent unrest in Lybia, Gaddafi would score low on the saftey and rule of law section. There have been many protests lately demanding for Gaddafi to step down as Lybia's leader. These protests have turned violent with many deaths occuring, mostly due to Gaddafi. He has ordered his supporters to defend his name and even turn violent if they need to. He even hired mercenaries from other countries to attack protesters.
 * Mo Ibrahim Foundation**

Lybia would also score low in the participation and human rights section. Gaddafi has always believed that Arab and Islamic people are superior to all other races and religions. He doesn't even acknowledge the exsistance of the Berber people. Recent events have also hurt humatarian rights in Lybia, the way Gaddafi has reacted to the protests. And since Gaddafi has been in power for 41 years and took the country in a coup, Lybia has never really had true, fair elections.

Lybia's best asset is its economy, because it is a rich source of oil. Oil really is the deciding factor in the economy and as of late many big companies were coming back to Lybia for oil. The biggest problem in Lybia is the unemployment rate, it is at nearly 21%. Much of the protests are due to lack of jobs avalible in Lybia, most of the unemployed are the youth of Lybia.

Lybia is doing well with human development. They have the highest literacy rate in Northern Africa with a rate of 82%. Lybia has almost two million students, with over 200 houndred thousand in tertiary level school, Lybia has nine colleges. Lybia has a low infant mortality rate compared to the rest of the world. Al-Gaddafi, Muammar. "Gaddafi Adresses Lybian People." Speech. Lybia, Tripoli. 24 Feb. 2011. //BBC Nes//. BBC, 22 Feb. 2011. Web. . "BBC News - Libya Country Profile." //BBC News//. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. . "CIA - The World Factbook." //Central Intelligence Agency//. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. . Walt, Vivienne. "In Libya, a Son Begins to Rise." //Time International// [Europe Edition] 5 Apr. 2010: 28. //Global Issues In Context//. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.
 * Works Cited **