Overview
A radical exploration of the Gaddafi regime which challenges accepted Western views of a rogue state run by an unhinged criminal. The book places Gaddafi in the context of pan-Arabism and the balance of power.Synopsis
Muammar al-Gaddafi is one of the most controversial figures of his time. He is treated by Western governments, especially the United States, as if he were a major power in the world stage, rather than the leader of a desert state of just five million people. Guy Arnold charts the history of Libya's external relations since the 1969 revolution and examines his influence on international affairs through his relations with his Arab neighbors in North Africa and the Middle East and the wider world. Gaddafi's disproportionate influence seems to stem from his refusal to behave like a small power and his belief in his right to intervene in world affairs as if he were a major power. Guy Arnold shows how the West's attempts to denigrate and destabilize Libya have been out of proportion to Gaddafi's offenses and reflect the West's inability to cope with a contradictory, truly maverick leader.