Muammar Qadhafi Pens Letter to Congress
Jennifer Epstein
Qadhafi appeals to the United States “as the great Democracy, to assist us to determine our future as a people” in the letter and promises to implement reforms if he has the support of Americans behind him. It’s his hope he says, to “exercise[e] power through a direct democracy which will choose the senior officials who will provide the administration of the Libyan Government and take care of its own affairs.”
Sent to congressional leaders and the White House, the three-page letter comes as reports continue to emerge suggesting that Qadhafi is looking for a way to end the fighting in Libya and as NATO looks for ways to scale back its activity there, which began in March. In the letter, he asks for “a cease fire, the funding of humanitarian relief and assistance in fostering and furthering accommodation between the parties within Libya that are at odds.”
In exchange, Qadhafi promises that he’ll allow a congressional fact-finding team into the country to examine humanitarian conditions and to “observe the true democratic sincerity of all Libya men and woman (sic).” The team would also be able to investigate “claims that have been made about systematic violations inside Libya during this tragic civil war.”
The letter also includes passages in which Qadhafi seeks to flatter his recipients, writing: “I want to express my sincere gratitude for your thoughtful discussion of the issues. We are confident that history will see the wisdom of your country in debating these issues.”
Recipients of the letter aren’t spending much time responding to the letter.
“We have received a letter but we’re not spending much time trying to confirm authenticity because we don’t much care what he has to say unless it includes a resignation,” said Jon Summers, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) communications director.
House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) spokesman Brendan Buck said in a statement that “[if] authentic, this incoherent letter only reinforces that Qadhafi must go. There’s no disagreement about that.”
“That’s why so many Americans have questions – which the White House refuses to answer – about the administration committing U.S. resources to an operation that doesn’t make his removal a goal,” he said.
June 10, 2011
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28298.htm