In case you missed it, earlier this week, Libya assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council. For anyone who follows Libyan politics—even if only for the tragic-comic amusement of observing the behavior of Muammar “King of Kings” Gaddafi—this news is troubling.
2009 has been quite the year for Libya; just a month ago at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Gaddafi was elected to the AU presidency, bringing him one step closer to his purported goal of becoming “President of Africa.” As astute Libya follower Dana Moss noted in a recent post on Foreign Policy’s “The Argument” blog, although it is sometimes difficult to take Gaddafi seriously on the world stage, the U.S. should take note that:
Behind Qaddafi’s postured wackiness lie consequences — and fundamental conflicts with U.S. interests on the continent he intends to lead.
Libya’s behavior in the next two months as the chair of the U.N. Security Council could be a bellwether for its intentions on the international stage in the future.
Photo: Reuters/ Libyan President Gaddafi: It’s not only his wardrobe that is troubling