The Difference between East and West - The Gadhafi Version

In a conference held last month in Columbia University, Libya's strong man Colonel Gadhafi has lashed out equally at both America and the Arab world. His conclusions help explain what has to change in the Middle East.

In between criticizing the US for its survailence on its citizens (a small infringment compared to Libya's past record), Gadhafi noted the difference in opposition style between East and West. He noted that while in the West opposition is done through elections and the courts, in the Middle East it is still largly by the way of the sword and this, he noted, had to stop.

It is no surprise that this statement comes form Gadhafi from all people. Following the US invasion of Iraq, his was the first Middle Eastern country to totally open its doors for UN WMD inspection teams, noting he has nothing to hide. However Gadhafi still has to keep his stand in the Arab world which is why the lashing in the US and why he recently stopped an international peace delegation including an Israeli at the gates of Libya. But his words speak volumes about the need in the Middle East for the rule of law. That rule of law can only be achieved through two things: a working justice system and enforcement to match. The former is useless without the latter; and the latter cannot be built without international presence such as the one in Iraq to jump start it following years of sectarian opression throughout the Middle East.

Tags:
Middle East, Libya, Gadhafi, Arab, US, WMD, UN.