Talk:Muammar Gaddafi

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Reasons for ideolistic beliefs. Meeting with 5 year old Sheikh Sharif

5 year olf sheikh Sharif met with him in 1994. Explains reasons for ideolistics beliefs?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Sharifuddin_Khalifa —Preceding unsigned comment added by Admit-the-truth (talk • contribs) 16:09, 10 August 2009 (UTC)

Want to edit page, but can't- length problem?

Hi, I was going to edit the article and add a new section, but after I added it, the quotations section got subsumed into my section and cut off a few quotes. Everything was still in the code, but the preview showed missing things. In lieu of this working I will not edit the page, but this is what I was going to add in- I don't know all that much about wikiediting, but if someone can figure it out, thanks. Also, feel free to give feedback on the section I want to post. Controversial, yes, but I feel it is absolutely necessary for anyone who is trying to understand Colonel Gaddafi and the Western perspective.

Can't figure out how to post this section without screwing up the setup of the article. Help appreciated. Thanks, Useless-Factoids 22:24, 28 April 2007 (UTC)Useless-Factoids

In July 1982, I have been working in the house of Gaddafi, which lays next to the hospital, at the northeast side of the military camp in Tripoli. It was neccesary to get his personal meaning in connection with colours and wallpapers in the groundfloor rooms, which he gave to me with a big smile. I am very disappointed about the US attack on Gaddafis person. --62.65.192.84 (talk) 15:51, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

International Perception

Gaddafi has had a colorful history with world since taking power. Gaddafi is strangely situated in international politics, as he is not a close ally of Western governments yet he is not trusted by the Arab world either, especially evident in his attempts to unite Libya with Egypt This situation makes Libya strangely alone in international politics, though Gaddafi announced plans in the late 1990s to unite Africa. Gaddafi personally is considered by the West to be strange and unique, a maverick. Many reporters have called Gaddafi flamboyant and much press has been devoted to what some think are outrageous clothes, going even as far as to call them costumes. Gaddafi is seen as unpredictable, with Ronald Reagan dubbing him "the mad dog of the Middle East". Critics will disparage his claims of living a simple life, pointing to his Amazonian guard and clothes as evidence of a less than simple lifestyle. Nevertheless, many believe Gaddafi to be sincere in his leadership and evidence his rapprochement with the United States as evidence.

Can't figure out how to post it without screwing up the setup of the article. Help appreciated. Thanks,Useless-Factoids 22:24, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

Isn't there a lot of unsubstantiated hearsay in this article?!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jgm8530 (talk • contribs) 01:24, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Help?

I'm a wikidiot. I don't understand how to navigate the talk page w/the current set up- the last thing I see on the discussion page is my own entry; but the history says that phase4 responded to my entry. I can see something of it in the history tab, but I'm not sure if it is all of it. If someone could tell me how to easily see the discussion in a normal way, like it is usually on the talk page, would be much appreciated. -Useless-Factoids

Ok, that fixes it, I think. The last <ref></ref> part of your paragraph was ill formed (it was missing the backslash). I personally don't have any big problem with that paragraph, but I think that the gist of it is already in the article, or coule be put in with more timeless references than BBC News articles. Smmurphy^(Talk) 17:55, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Ignorance continues presumably to be bliss!Phase4 20:53, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Someone has vandalized the page

Above the photograph of al-Gaddafi someone has written "Yo Mama"... I don't know how to remove it, but can someone do so? Thanks [User:bassocontinuo|bassocontinuo]] —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bassocontinuo (talk • contribs) 22:22, 11 February 2008 (UTC)

Amazonian Guard

The part about Ghaddafi's female guard should be reworded. They didn't go only to Brusels in 2004, they accompanied him everywhere. E.g. in memoirs of Raif Dizdarević (then minister of foreign affairs of Yugoslavia) he mentions the guard when in 1986 Ghaddafi attended 8th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Harare.

Neither the troubles with numerous guards are limited to 2006 Nigeria. Dizdarević mentions the same problems in Harare, including fistfights between Ghaddafi's guards and the local guards.

An aside: a honorary degree from a Belgrade university is hardly something unique. Honorary titles for the heads of state are usually dozen on a dime. Libya was a close ally of Yugoslavia in the non-aligned movement so such pomposities could be rather expected. Pavel Vozenilek 13:43, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

The redirect from Amazonian Guard contains revisions in its history that contain wordage that doesn't stand on the current page, the following content included:

"The women are supposedly all virgins and must remain so, although rumors exist of their personal sexual services to the leader himself."

Dunno if that is accurate of course. -- Cimon Avaro; on a pogostick. (talk) 16:11, 10 April 2008 (UTC)

P.S. incoming redirects are usually not linked in to the same article, but emphasized bold.

"Amazonian Guard" redirects to this article, but there's no mention of them anywhere in the article. I looked up this article specifically for information about them, from a BBC article that mentions in passing that he's famous for female bodyguards (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7594790.stm). Surely they deserve a mention/explanation? - SoulSkorpion (talk) 04:47, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

GA relisting

When I listed the Gaddafi article with a GA tag earlier, I hadn't realised that it had at least four unsourced statements. It has since been delisted, but I'd be grateful if other editors could provide the necessary citations, so that the article can be relisted as a "good article".Phase4 22:43, 13 October 2007 (UTC)

Please note, however, that in order for an article to be listed as a Good article, it must first be nominated at WP:GAN and reviewed by an uninvolved editor. If it meets all the criteria, then it will be listed as a Good article. Sorry for any confusion. Lara❤Love 03:51, 14 October 2007 (UTC)

القذافي

Is he related to Wanis al-Qaddafi? Even though their family names are transliterated differently here at Wikipedia, they are actually the same. Helvetica 06:04, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

No, they are not related, it's just a similarity in family's name, and politically, they are extremely different. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.208.82.97 (talk) 15:22, 31 July 2008 (UTC)

Status as Anti-Christ

According to Naming the Antichrist: The History of an American Obsession (Robert C. Fuller, Oxford University Press, 1995, page 160) "In 1982, Southwest Radio Church's Gospel Truth settled on Libyan leader Mu'ammar Gadhafi, stating that Gadhafi's 'messianic credentials qualify him in many respects as a candidate for Anitchrist.'" Does anyone know what the Church's current position on this is? 85.25.147.96 07:48, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

I have to disagree, this is totally irrelevant, I am sure many people have said George Bush or many other world leaders are also the 'anti-Christ', yet I don't see that kind of silly conspiracy theory in their articles in such prominence. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.187.225.104 (talk) 03:27, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

Personal Life

The paragraph opens with the statement that he has forty children and seventy are sons. Then states he has one daughter. The math ain't workin'. --Eddylyons (talk) 19:54, 21 March 2008 (UTC)

Fromm the article:

"Gaddafi is pretend to be the son of Albert Preziosi, a French captain born in Corsica. Albert Preziosi plane crashed in Corsica in 1942 and he was rescued by a libyan peasant family."

What does "pretend" mean in this instance. Was this his dad or not? Somebody should clarify. -- Cimon Avaro; on a pogostick. (talk) 15:57, 10 April 2008 (UTC)

all incorrect-

Mutasim-Billah Gaddafi, Hannibal and Al-saadi Muammar are the ONE person!- NEEDS INVESTIGATION

normally when this person is in legal or police troubles - he presents him-self as Hannibal —Preceding unsigned comment added by In Business We Trust (talk • contribs) 19:02, 25 July 2008 (UTC)

Incorrect Title In The InfoBox

The Title " President " does not Exist In the Libyan Political System , Nor The Holder of the Position Does the Duties of a President Like the Prime Minster Title listed under it , The People listed There Held the Position of the General Secretary of the General People's Congress and That Position is the Speaker of the Parliament or the chairman of the Parliament. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Alwad7 (talk • contribs) 22:37, 20 June 2008 (UTC) In Allah We Trust 15:45, 7 March 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Alwad7 (talk • contribs)

his son

any mention of the issue with his son Hannibal and the Swiss? seems his loser/psycho genes have spread. :-) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.251.8.168 (talk) 21:25, 25 July 2008 (UTC)

Great projects

The "Great projects" section seems to sit awkwardly in the Gaddafi biography. Do other editors agree, and should it not be moved to the Libya article? - PJHaseldine (talk) 10:17, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

Image copyright problem with Image:MandelaGaddafi.jpg

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Things and topics

this article glosses over many things and puts a positive slant on most topics.Jigajig55 (talk) 13:27, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

The article is a biography of a living person. Please give examples of what you regard as things glossed over and positively slanted topics.PJHaseldine (talk) 10:28, 14 October 2008 (UTC)

I've referenced the biography and removed Jigajig55's unnecessary tag.PJHaseldine (talk) 15:51, 19 October 2008 (UTC)

Not necessarily related to above, but changed text re: Gadaffi#The_show from 'The critics were generally not very flattering in the English-speaking press.' to 'The critics were generally unflattering in the English-speaking press', to remove 'gloss'. Not a major edit, simply more direct? Geno-Supremo (talk) 16:40, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

Why is there no mention of his jailing of the Nuns claiming they were spreading Aids. This is one of the most biased articles there. --68.38.225.226 (talk) 23:03, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

Contrary to what you say, "his jailing of the Nuns" is mentioned in the article, as follows: The same month (August 2003), Britain and Bulgaria co-sponsored a U.N. resolution which removed the suspended sanctions. (Bulgaria's involvement in tabling this motion led to suggestions that there was a link with the HIV trial in Libya in which 5 Bulgarian nurses, working at a Benghazi hospital, were accused of infecting 426 Libyan children with HIV.)---PJHaseldine (talk) 09:37, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

Spelling

The New York Times has just published an article by him, and his name is there spelled "Muammar Qaddafi". This is probably relevant information for the part on different spellings, right? Clcrhiggaeeermo (talk) 11:10, 23 January 2009 (UTC)

Changing this article's name

I think this article should be renamed to "King of Kings Muammar al-Gaddafi of Africa", or at least have it redirect here, in par with the naming of pages of other monarchs such as Queen Elizabeth of England. After all, that is how he calls himself, so wikipedia policy dictates that we reflect that. Does anyone else care to share their views on the subject? --Radjenef (talk) 01:00, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Excellent idea, and well-argued! I've redirected King of Kings Muammar al-Gaddafi of Africa to this article.---PJHaseldine (talk) 11:56, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Jewish mother

Earlier today, someone mentioned to me that they had heard Gaddafi's mother was Jewish. I've searched on the Internet and have seen this claim on many websites, but so far I have found no verification in a credible source. I even found someone quoted making this claim in an article in the British newspaper The Independent, but the article itself doesn't confirm or refute the claim:

"Now, eating tearing hunks of bread from a loaf, dipping them dipped in sugar, and licking avocado flesh from a knife, Mr Farham explained his confidence. 'This settlement will never be moved. Look how close we are to Israel. There is nothing Arafat can do about it. I know the Arabs better than they know themselves. I should. I come from Libya.' Mr Farham's mop of curls and high cheekbones looked suddenly familiar. 'You know Gaddafi's mother was a Jew? Some people say we are related.'" [1]

Can anyone shed light on the truth or falsity of this claim? Is it just a rumor? marbeh raglaim (talk) 02:47, 27 April 2009 (UTC)

I was told in confidence that he is the son of an Italian officer, by a reliable source. Not sure if he married the mother. The ancestry given in his biography is probably made up. He does not look anything like a full blooded Libyan. --Wool Bridge (talk) 22:39, 12 June 2009 (UTC)

Well, someone named Aisha is Jewish? That's a rather Islamic first name if ever I heard one. 68.32.48.221 (talk) 00:53, 25 August 2009 (UTC)

Article Name

I think the spelling of his name should be the one he prefers. Since he spells his name in English on his official website, that should be the name of this article and the way it's spelling. Then other spellings should re-direct to the way his offical website spells it 99.21.162.95 (talk) 18:27, 5 May 2009 (UTC)eric

The spelling on his official website is Muammar Al Gathafi, which WhisperToMe redirected to this article as long ago as 11 January 2008.---PJHaseldine (talk) 10:19, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

Clarification:Contradiction

"Although Gaddafi has held no public office or title since 1979, he is accorded the honorifics "Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" or "Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution" in government statements and the official press.[2] He is the fourth longest-serving head of state currently in office and longest-serving head of government."

-quoted from opening paragraph

If Gaddaffi is the current serving head of government doesn't it therefore mean that he is still holding public office. As the paragraph stands now, those two sentences in bold directly contradict one another and I am hoping for some clarification on the matter. Thanks Kimemia Maina (talk) 22:37, 6 June 2009 (UTC)

Tents

From The Times of London today:

"Col Gadaffi, who as usual brought a Bedouin style tent and a contingent of female bodyguards with him for his visit..."

This article makes no mention (that I could see) of his famous tent (permanently moving "government") - and no mention of his "female bodyguards". Both are unusual, at least by Western standards. Anyone know more about these points? --Robinson weijman (talk) 10:05, 10 July 2009 (UTC)

Lead image

I've reverted to the earlier lead image which has a more neutral expression. JN466 22:32, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

Gaddafi's British education and subsequent career

It is impossible for Gaddafi a newly graduated 2nd Lt. to go the British Staff College at Camberly in the same grounds as the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The Staff College's role was to train officers of the rank of Major for General Staff duties and upon graduation they were generally promoted to Lt. Colonel and permitted to wear the red collar tabs of a staff officer.

In fact Gaddafi went to the Royal School of Signals at Blandford in Dorset. This was short-term for less than a year. While there he annoyed other Arab Muslim young officers by preaching against drinking, going with 'loose' women and he would try and keep to his daily prayer schedule exhorting others to join him.

The Libyan Army never promoted him beyond lieutenant while most of his fellow members of the Revolutionary Command Council reached the rank of Captain and some were Majors at the time of the bloodless revolution, when Gaddafi was 27, a rather advanced age for a Lt.

Gaddafi's subsequent promotion to Colonel was by decree of the Revolutionary Command Council. —Preceding unsigned comment added by JBonar (talk • contribs) 13:10, 23 August 2009 (UTC)