Gadhafi’s rant at the U.N. warrants criticism of him

The good news is that Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi wasn’t able to stay where he wanted to during his visit this week to New York City. The bad news is that he got to address the General Assembly of the United Nations — for more than an hour.

Gadhafi, once a leading sponsor of global terrorism who several years ago claimed to have had a moral awakening, was anything but conciliatory during his first appearance before the world body. Indeed, his speech in the half-empty chamber was steeped in irony. Consider this statement, as he called for the abolition of the veto power of the five permanent members of the Security Council:

“It should not be called the Security Council, it should be called the ‘terror council.’”

He certainly knows about terror and how power can be used to intimidate.

Fortunately, Gadhafi’s criticism of the five permanent members, the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia, and his contention that the Security Council should be expanded to make it more representative won’t be taken seriously.

Indeed, his entire visit to the New York turned out to be a joke. He wanted to put up a bedouin tent in Central Park, but was barred from doing so by city government. Then he tried to erect the tent at Donald Trump’s 213-acre Seven Springs Estate in Westchester County, but was stopped because he failed to get a permit. And before he arrived in the United States, he was forced to give up plans to stay at an estate owned by the Libyan government in Englewood, N.J., when residents and government officials, including Congressman Steve Rothman, protested.

Hero’s welcome

The inhospitable treatment Gadhafi received was well deserved. His decision to welcome home with open arms the only man convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was crass and insensitive. Of the 270 people who died, 189 were Americans. Of those, 97 were residents of New York and New Jersey.

Hence, the public outcry when it became known that the Libyan leader was going to attend the opening session of the U.N. General Assembly and intended to stay in Englewood.

The fact that he was forced to change his accommodation plans was a victory of sorts for the family and friends of those who perished at the hands of terrorists.

The Americans were returning home for Christmas when the jetliner was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie. Although it was alleged that the bombing was orchestrated by Libya’s intelligence service, only one person, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, was convicted by a panel of Scottish judges after a lengthy trial that featured many witnesses and experts.

Al-Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison. His guilt was evident.

But in late August, he was released from the Scottish prison and sent back to Libya on humanitarian grounds. The Scottish government determined that his release was justified because he is dying. The decision sent shock waves throughout the world and was seen as disrespecting the memory of those who died and an insult to the families.

Al-Megrahi had only served 20 years before he was set free. But if that wasn’t bad enough, he arrived in Tripoli to a hero’s welcome, with Moammar Gadhafi embracing him as he got off the plane.

And yet the mercurial leader of Libya had the audacity to talk about respect in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly.

“Now, brothers, there is no respect for the United Nations, no regard for the General Assembly,” he said.

What a despicable man.