THE PLANK SEPTEMBER 23, 2009
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Immediately following Obama at the lectern here at the U.N. is the Libyan "leader of the revolution" (as he was introduced), who has emerged from his bizarre run-in with Donald Trump--and the interference of angry protesters--to deliver a predictably kooky speech. If I have it right through the shaky translation device clipped to my ear, Qaddafi is raging against Western imperialism and manipulation of the U.N. by great powers which renders smaller nations irrelevant: "You are just like the speakers in hyde park -- no more no less ... you speak and then you disappear," the Libyan said, with Hillary Clinton reportedly in the audience. [Correction: MSNBC reports that Hillary and Susan Rice walked out upon Qaddafi's arrival.] The Iraq war is "the mother of all evils." And the U.N. security council, he says, should be renamed the "terror council"--which is pretty rich considering the source. (Also amusing: Qaddafi keeps referring to "my son Obama.")
The NY Post, meanwhile, has some fun detail on the Libyan's activities here in Manhattan:
On Tuesday, Khadafy met with Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan at Libya’s UN mission on East 48th Street, while several hundred supporters of the Nation of Islam leader -- all men and nearly all dressed in suits with bowties or neatly knotted cravats -- waited outside.
Across the street from the Farrakhan entourage, about 200 Libyans gathered holding signs that read “Welcome King of Kings of Africa” and “Brother Qaddafi, Welcome to the United States."
Update: Qaddafi, who has been rambling for more than half and hour, seems to be noticing the effect inside the chamber. "All of you are asleep! All of you are tired!" he complained, pointing his finger around the room. Qaddafi blamed the U.N.'s scheduling for forcing foreign leaders to listen to speeches soon after they have arrived from long flights. Maybe he could do them a favor and shut up already.
Update II: He's still talking! Something to do with Marshal Tito....
5 comments
Can you imagine if he had a blog?
- wildboy
September 23, 2009 at 12:28pm
hey wildboy, at his age I am surprised he can still pitch a tent. I heard he stayed at the Donald's estate because the waterfountains there spout Cialis water.
- blackton
September 23, 2009 at 1:24pm
Blackie for comment of the week!
- wildboy
September 23, 2009 at 1:40pm
Why is it the man's name doesn't have a standard spelling? Or even common alphabets? I've seen it spelled with a "K", single "D", and with or without "H". Perhaps each spelling reflects which one of his personalities is being discussed. Anyway, he charges the West with imperialism, which, of course, is the standard Third World tyrant's favorite charge. But which is really ironic coming from him if one considers that he did worse in helpless countries like Chad, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
- scrubby
September 23, 2009 at 4:17pm
"Colonel Gaddafi was prominent in last week’s foreign news. Because his name is transliterated from Arabic, and some of its sounds have no equivalent in spoken English, it has no definitive Romanised spelling. The most common, used by The Times, has two d’s and one f. Whichever variant is adopted, though, it needs to be used consistently. There is no excuse for using one spelling on the front page (Gadaffi) and another in the leader columns (Gaddafi), as we did in last Monday’s paper" http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article6814077.ece
- noga1
September 23, 2009 at 4:54pm