Epress.am News from Armenia
Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi appealed directly to President Barack Obama on Wednesday to end what Gaddafi called “an unjust war.” He also wished Obama good luck in his bid for re-election next year, AP reports.
“You are a man who has enough courage to annul a wrong and mistaken action,” Gaddafi wrote in a rambling, three-page letter to Obama obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. “I am sure that you are able to shoulder the responsibility for that.”
The White House confirmed the letter, but top officials shrugged it off.
“I don’t think there is any mystery about what is expected from Mr. Gaddafi at this time,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said, repeating U.S. and NATO demands that Gaddafi’s forces pull back and cease attacks. She also renewed a demand that Gaddafi step down from power and leave the country.
“There needs to be a ceasefire, his forces need to withdraw from the cities that they have forcibly taken at great violence and human cost,” she said. “There needs to be a decision made about his departure from power and … his departure from Libya.”
In the letter, Gaddafi implored Obama to stop the NATO-led air campaign, which he called an “unjust war against a small people of a developing country.”
“To serving world peace … Friendship between our peoples … and for the sake of economic, and security cooperation against terror, you are in a position to keep Nato (NATO) off the Libyan affair for good,” Gaddafi wrote in the letter.
Gaddafi told Obama that a democratic society could not be built through the use of missiles and aircraft. He also repeated his claim that the rebels seeking his ouster are members of the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Addressing Obama as “our son” and “excellency,” Gaddafi said that his country had been hurt more “morally” than “physically” by the NATO campaign.
Although he listed a litany of complaints, Gaddafi said he bears no ill will toward Obama in the letter, which was dated April 5, 2011 in Tripoli and is signed by “Mu’aumer Qaddaffi, Leader of the Revolution.”
“We have been hurt more morally (than) physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you,” he wrote. “Despite all this, you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the U.S.A. We Endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaigne [sic].”