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Article: Standing at the crossroads: after almost 20 years of isolation, Libya has come in from the cold and shut the door on its past as a pariah state. Tripoli has given up its weapons of mass destruction and paid its dues. Now the task of rehabilitation is top of the agenda, but the ghosts of the revolution still linger.(Special report: Libya)(Tripoli had committed to dismantling its weapons of mass destruction)
- Article from:
- MEED Middle East Economic Digest
- Article date:
- August 13, 2004
- Author:
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President Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair will look back on 19 December 2003 as one of the better days in their terms of office. The news that Tripoli had committed to dismantling its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programme was a welcome seasonal gift for the leaders under heavy criticism for the Iraq invasion. They wasted no time in announcing the news to the world.
The message was clear; their tough policy on terrorism and decision to invade Iraq had paid off. Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi had seen the television pictures showing the downfall of Saddam Hussain and taken action to avoid a similar fate.
Yet, as much as Bush and Blair would like ...