muammar-qaddafi

Qaddafi Ate a Hamburger During His Hair Transplant

Jeff Neumann · 03/25/11 05:54AM

Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi can be forgiven for his physical appearance these days. After all, his country is being bombed, rebels are fighting an increasingly bloody war with his army, and his "voluptuous blond" Ukrainian nurse left him. But things weren't always this way. Back in the heady days of 1995 Qaddafi, now 68 years old, gave a Brazilian plastic surgeon an envelope "full of U.S. dollars and Swiss francs" to halt the appearance of aging. The AP spoke to the doctor:

No One Really Wants to Be in Charge in Libya

Max Read · 03/24/11 11:43PM

NATO agreed on Thursday night to take complete command of military operations in Libya. Psych! NATO is only leading the part that involves flying jets around, while the U.S., France and the UK are stuck doing the "actual war stuff" (technical term).

Libyan State TV Appears to Have a Pro-Qaddafi Bias

Jim Newell · 03/23/11 05:11PM

No channels in the United States are as riveting as Libyan state television, based on this one short clip we've watched and nothing else. Check out this guy, this anchor. Does he "like" Qaddafi? We'd guess yes, since he pulls out an AK-47 in the middle of his broadcast and says, "In the name of Almighty God, I pledge to you, my Dear Leader, that I will sacrifice my last breath, my last bullet, my last drop of blood, last baby and child for you." Don't forget your wife!

The Latest News from Libya

Max Read · 03/21/11 01:59AM

Barely two days after U.N. authorization, the vaunted no-fly zone over Libya has been been "officially enforced" by a coalition of U.S., French and British forces. Here's the latest from the ongoing conflict in Libya:

Qaddafi Forces Attack Rebel Stronghold

Jeff Neumann · 03/19/11 08:13AM

Despite a UN resolution and threats by European powers to strike Muammar Qaddafi's forces if they continue to attack Libyan cities, troops loyal to the Libyan dictator today assaulted the eastern city of Benghazi with tanks and aircraft. Update below.

Obama Beefs Up His Libya War Talk

Jim Newell · 03/18/11 04:09PM

President Obama spoke from the White House earlier this afternoon to give some details about that minor U.S.-supported military intervention in Libya authorization the United Nations passed yesterday. He probably didn't want to say anything, but he's jetting to Brazil this weekend and felt he should throw American citizens a bone about the possible third war we're entering.

Neocons Write Nice Letter Asking Obama for War in Libya

Jim Newell · 03/15/11 04:01PM

President Obama is seriously wearing on the patience of America's most war-loving war lovers, the Washington neoconservatives. Why won't Obama be reasonable and just let them have their endless War in Libya? Muammar Qaddafi is strengthening his grip and moving east, so the window of opportunity for invading another decentralized tribal country and then spending a dozen years there while alienating everyone in the region is closing. And so the neocons have banded together to write Obama a sternly worded letter asking for their war, please, now.

Obama's Intelligence Director Says Qaddafi Could Win, Gets in Trouble

Jim Newell · 03/10/11 05:25PM

President Obama's Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, was called to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, and stupidly tried to give an honest assessment of difficult foreign policy situations in response to questions asking for that. Now he's in big trouble, or at least Lindsey Graham wants him to resign.

Is Qaddafi Trying to Negotiate His Exit?

Max Read · 03/07/11 09:02PM

Looks like Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi is ready step down! But he wants to make a deal first: According to reports (none of which have been officially confirmed) in Arab media outlets, Qaddafi is looking for a guarantees of safety for himself, his family, and his rather large fortune, and rumor has it that the dictator is looking for a place to crash. But apparently the rebels aren't biting—not only have they officially rejected "broad" talks, saying that any negotiations have to start with Qaddafi agreeing to quit, but sources for al Jazeera and Reuters indicate that rebel leaders aren't prepared to let Qaddafi keep his money—and maybe not his immunity from trial, either. [Reuters; image via AP]

Nelly Furtado Is Donating Her Qaddafi Money to Charity

Max Read · 02/28/11 11:48PM

If you accepted money from Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi (or any member of his family), now would be a good time to give it back. It's what Nelly Furtado is doing, anyway—the pop star Tweeted earlier that she received a million dollars from "the Qaddafi clan" to perform a show in Italy four years ago ("for guests at a hotel," she elaborated); in the same Tweet she wrote she planned to "donate" the money (to charity, one hopes). And while we obviously applaud her decision, it seems as though the best bet going forward, for Furtado as for all musicians, is to, you know, not perform shows for dictators or their families. In the meantime, we eagerly await responses from the following pop stars regarding the money that they received, at one time or another, from "the Qaddafi clan":

Qaddafi's Bizarre Video Statement

Max Read · 02/21/11 08:56PM

Confronted with rumors that he'd fled Libya for Venezuela, embattled and increasingly violent Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi released a short, 40-second video to Libyan state television, in which he denounces the reporting of the "dogs in the media" while sitting inside a van outside his home, and holding an umbrella. It appears to be his CalArts senior thesis project?