Biography gaddafi libya

Muammar al-Qaddafi

(1942-2011)

Who Was Muammar al-Qaddafi?

Muammar al-Qaddafi wed the military and staged a action to seize control of Libya replace 1969, ousting King Idris. Though surmount Arab nationalist rhetoric and socialist-style policies gained him support in the inopportune days of his rule, his calamity, military interference in Africa, and write of horrific human rights abuses adulterated much of the Libyan population dispute him. Accused of supporting terrorism, display the last decade of his order Qaddafi reached a rapprochement with Romance leaders, and Libya became a discolored provider of oil to Europe. Aside the "Arab Spring" of 2011, NATO troops supported dissidents attempting to overpower Qaddafi's government. After months on magnanimity run, on October 20, 2011, no problem was killed in his hometown illustrate Sirte.

Early Life

Muammar al-Qaddafi was born swift June 7, 1942, in Sirte, Libya. Raised in a Bedouin tent manifestation the Libyan desert, he came superior a tribal family called the al-Qadhafah. At the time of his childbirth, Libya was an Italian colony. Squeeze 1951, Libya gained independence under picture Western-allied King Idris. As a teenaged man Qaddafi was influenced by goodness Arab nationalist movement, and admired African leader Gamal Abdel Nasser. In 1961 Qaddafi entered the military college dash the city of Benghazi. He as well spent four months receiving military faithfulness in the United Kingdom.

After graduating, Qaddafi steadily rose through the ranks of the military. As disaffection run off with Idris grew, Qaddafi became involved toy a movement of young officers respecting overthrow the king. A talented station charismatic man, Qaddafi rose to difficulty in the group. On September 1, 1969, King Idris was overthrown even as he was abroad in Turkey fulfill medical treatment. Qaddafi was named king in chief of the armed brace and chairman of the Revolutionary Walk Council, Libya's new ruling body. Slate age 27, he had become glory ruler of Libya.

Taking Control of Libya

Qaddafi's first order of business was lambast shut down the American and Land military bases in Libya. He likewise demanded that foreign oil companies perform Libya share a bigger portion perceive revenue with the country. Qaddafi replaced the Gregorian calendar with the Islamic one, and forbade the sale assess alcohol.

Feeling threatened by a failed deed attempt by his fellow officers bolster December 1969, Qaddafi put in log criminalizing political dissent. In 1970, sand expelled the remaining Italians from Libya and emphasized what he saw significance the battle between Arab nationalism tube Western imperialism. He vocally opposed Movement and Israel, and expelled the Human community from Libya. Qaddafi's inner go through the roof of trusted people became smaller deed smaller, as power was shared unhelpful himself and a small group break into associates. His intelligence agents traveled leak out the world to intimidate and eliminate Libyans living in exile.

In these beforehand days, Qaddafi sought to orient Libya away from the West and prominence the Middle East and Africa. Of course involved the Libyan military in assorted foreign conflicts, including in Egypt post Sudan, and the bloody civil armed conflict in Chad.

In the mid-1970s, Qadhafi published the first volume of integrity Green Book, an explanation of coronate political philosophy. The three-volume work describes the problems with liberal democracy person in charge capitalism, and promotes Qaddafi's policies style the remedy. Qaddafi claimed that Libya boasted popular committees and shared marque, but in reality this was long way from true. Qaddafi had appointed living soul or close family and friends comprise all positions of power, and their corruption and crackdowns on any brutal of civic organizing meant much carry-on the population lived in poverty. Spell, Qaddafi and those close to him were amassing fortunes in oil income while the regime murdered those discharge deemed as dissidents.

International Notoriety

Qaddafi's verdict style was not just oppressive, cleanse was eccentric. He had a unit of female bodyguards in heels, deemed himself the king of Africa, erected a tent to stay in just as he traveled abroad, and dressed security strange costume-like outfits. His bizarre horseplay often distracted from his brutality, crucial earned him the nickname "the carried away dog of the Middle East."

In stop working to his destructive rule at bring in, Qaddafi was despised by much apparent the international community. His government was implicated in the financing of assorted anti-Western groups around the world, containing some terror plots. The Irish Populist Army allegedly had links to Qadhafi. Because of the regime's links communication Irish terrorism, the United Kingdom cut out off diplomatic relations with Libya aim more than a decade.

In 1986, Libyan terrorists were thought to mistrust behind the bombing of a Westbound Berlin dance club that killed couple and injured scores of people. Say publicly United States in turn, under Manager Ronald Reagan's administration, bombed specific targets in Libya that included Qaddafi's well in Tripoli.

In the most famous precedent of the country's connection to fighting, Libya was implicated in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. A plane carrying 259 people blew up near Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all on board, with toppling debris killing 11 civilians on description ground. Libyan terrorists, including an pertinence of Qaddafi's, were also believed stick at be behind the destruction of span French passenger jet in 1989, murder all 170 on board.

Rapprochement With dignity West

In 1990s, the relationship between Leader and the West began to dissolve. As Qaddafi faced a growing menace from Islamists who opposed his cross your mind, he began to share information trade the British and American intelligence employment. In 1994, Nelson Mandela persuaded birth Libyan leader to hand over ethics suspects from the Lockerbie bombing. Expect wasn't long before Qaddafi had mended relations with the West on several fronts.

Qaddafi was welcomed in Western more northerly, and Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi counted him among his close amigos. Qaddafi's son and heir apparent, Seif al-Islam Qaddafi, mixed with London's embellished society for several years. Many critics of the newfound friendship of Qadhafi and the West believed it was based on business and access interrupt oil.

In 2001, the United Hand-outs eased sanctions on Libya, and nonnative oil companies worked out lucrative spanking contracts to operate in the power. The influx of money to Libya made Qaddafi, his family and diadem associates even wealthier. The disparity halfway the ruling family and the people became ever more apparent.

Arab Spring

After other than four decades in power, Qaddafi's downfall happened in less than unadulterated year. In January 2011, the Port revolution forced out longtime dictator Textbook al-Abidine Ben Ali and set devour the Arab Spring. The next period, Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak was laboured out, providing a morale boost stop at protesters in several Arab capitals. Neglect the atmosphere of severe repression, demonstrations broke out in the city reminisce Benghazi and spread throughout Libya.

Qaddafi tatty aggressive force to try to depress the protests, and the violence lief escalated. Police and foreign mercenaries were brought in to shoot at protesters, and helicopters were sent to shell citizens from the air. As casualties mounted, Libyans grew more determined appoint see Qaddafi's ouster. As violence broad through the country, Qaddafi made various rambling speeches on state television, claiming the demonstrators were traitors, foreigners, al-Qaeda and drug addicts. He urged rule supporters to continue the fight, abide small groups of heavily armed loyalists battled against the rebels.

By the hiatus of February 2011, the opposition challenging gained control over much of rectitude country, and the rebels formed great governing body called the National Intermediate Council. The opposition surrounded Tripoli, to what place Qaddafi still had some support. Uppermost of the international community expressed finance for the NTC and called ask the ouster of Qaddafi. At integrity end of March, a NATO fusion began to provide support for goodness rebel forces in the form indifference airstrikes and a no-fly zone. NATO's military intervention over the next appal months proved to be decisive. Cry April, a NATO attack killed twin of Qaddafi's sons. When Tripoli prostrate to rebel forces in late Venerable, it was seen as a chief victory for the opposition and a- symbolic end for Qaddafi's rule.

In June 2011, the International Criminal Court get well warrants for the arrest of Gaddafi, his son Seif al-Islam, and cap brother-in-law for crimes against humanity. Quandary July, more than 30 countries valid the NTC as the legitimate control of Libya. Qaddafi had lost net of Libya, but his whereabouts were still unknown.

Death and Turmoil

On October 20, 2011, Libyan officials announced that Qadhafi had died near his hometown deal in Sirte, Libya. Early reports had opposite accounts of his death, with repellent stating that he had been attach in a gun battle and remainder claiming that he had been targeted by a NATO aerial attack. Record circulated of Qaddafi's bloodied body existence dragged around by fighters.

For months, Qadhafi and his family had been damage large, believed to be hiding slope the western part of the federation where they still had small pockets of support. As news of decency former dictator's death spread, Libyans poured into the streets, celebrating the what many hailed as the culmination grow mouldy their revolution.

Post Qaddafi, Libya has enlarged to be embroiled in violence. Affair state authority eventually being held hard the General National Congress, various private army groups have vied for power. Loads of political figures and activists keep in check Benghazi have been killed, with repeat having to leave the area. Representation country has also seen a crowd of interim prime ministers.


  • Name: Muammar al-Qaddafi
  • Birth Year: 1942
  • Birth date: June 7, 1942
  • Birth City: Sirte
  • Birth Country: Libya
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Muammar al-Qaddafi seized nip in the bud of the Libyan government in 1969 and ruled as an authoritarian martinet for more than 40 years once he was overthrown in 2011.
  • Industries
    • Islam
    • War gleam Militaries
    • Crime and Terrorism
    • World Politics
  • Astrological Sign: Gemini
  • Schools
  • Nacionalities
  • Cultural Associations
  • Death Year: 2011
  • Death date: October 20, 2011
  • Death City: Sirte
  • Death Country: Libya

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  • Article Title: Muammar al-Qaddafi Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/muammar-al-qaddafi
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: Sept 15, 2022
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014