It is universal knowledge that Libya's embattled dictator Muammar Gaddafi is, to put it rather mildly, losing it in both the literal and figurative senses. With his virtually self-made empire collapsing all around him as bands of hellbent rebels advance towards Tripoli, his reign of terror seems to be nearing its end. He has stated, though, that he is not willing to go down without a fight and is willing to massacre scores of his own countrymen in order to achieve that goal.
Unlike the vast majority of history's despots, Gaddafi is not behaving in a rational manner during what are undoubtedly his final days in power. While most would be clearing out their respective nations' treasuries in a mad dash to procure the greatest amount of material wealth possible, he seems to be doing no such thing. As a matter of fact, he began doing quite the opposite last week by way of distributing guns and generous stipends to commoners loyal to his regime. These are the actions of a scared, desperate man; one who is not being guided by logic but sheer emotionalism. Needless to say, in the long run, his choices will bear strongly negative consequences for him, whatever the outcome of the Libyan revolution may be, but non-thinkers of his nature rarely tend to look past the immediate future while ultimately digging themselves into a deeper hole — if not their own graves.
What could possibly drive Gaddafi to act so carelessly, you ask?
The answer is surprisingly simple, and dare I say criminally overlooked by the international media; he is an extremely convincing liar, not necessarily to others, but himself. He is an individual capable of concocting the most fantastical of delusions and wholeheartedly believing that they can be implemented in reality simply because he wants them to be. This is in no better way exemplified than the fact that the man is a bloodthirsty anti-Semite who, aside from being a staunch ally of Jihadists abroad, gleefully made life a living hell for Jews in his country until the last of them fled during the early 2000s. The unbelievable irony here is that, through his matrilineal line, Gaddafi himself is Jewish and can actually apply for citizenship in Israel as well as be fully accepted in most religious movements of Judaism.
Article comments
1 - Alan Kurtz
Note from the Department of History Repeats Itself: change Libya to Germany, Tripoli to Berlin, and Gaddafi to Hitler, and you could've published this article in April 1945 without having to change another word.
2 - Tommy Mack
You have to admit, Joe, that the longest-serving leader in both Africa and the Arab world is a snappy dresser.
You’ll have to dig up the late Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci interview with the Colonel from 1979. She said of him that he was clinically stupid, among other things. By the way, she was "international media." Better homework is suggested.
By the way, on the topic of research, citing Current TV is hardly a reliable source. It is inaccurate about Qaddafi being Jewish. Stick with Wikipedia.
Tommy
3 - Jim Kendall
Gaddafi - in addition to being mad - also bears the stamp of long and sustained drug addiction. He has the doubting-vacant face of the methamphetamine addict.
Right you are: He has built his imaginary land; and that his fortress is threatened will impose upon him acceleration of his doom of cultural suicide "as a martyr..."
4 - Doug Hunter
BREAKING NEWS ALERT: Muammar Gaddafi and Charlie Sheen announce joint press conference at 10PM CST... stay tuned.
5 - Susan
Why do I come away feeling truly sorry for this lost-in-limbo soul? A wasted life, the greatest of all human tragedies, that's why! He had so many wonderful opportunities to become a really great and beloved leader, and he squandered most of them. I wonder if he realized it on some level and wept privately? I use the past tense, because he is now dead. I, for one, have been praying for him ...