Murderous dictator Gadhafi to blame for Libya’s poverty

Libyan strongman Moammar Gad- hafi, sponsor of global terrorism and architect of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was beaten senseless by rebels before he was shot in the head. The television images of his final minutes shocked even his harshest critics. The transitional government in Tripoli is investigating the circumstances of Gadhafi’s death.

But, as the details of his 40-year rule emerge, any sympathy for him is quickly dissipating.

Americans who still remember that fateful day in December 1988 when a bomb blew the Pan Am jetliner out of the sky, claiming 270 lives, will not forgive Gadhafi, even in death. Of the 259 passengers who perished, many of them were Americans returning home for Christmas. The airplane’s debris that rained down on Lockerbie resulted in 11 deaths.

As for the people of Libya, the memories of his murderous rule will not soon be forgotten. But it isn’t only his iron fist that will continue to cause nightmares in the oil-rich country. His thievery has left more than 2 million of the 6.5 million Libyans in poverty.

According to a report by the McClatchy-Tribune news service, Gadhafi had secret bank accounts, real estate and corporate investments around the world worth more than $200 billion. That is double the amount projected by Western governments that helped the rebels topple the dictator.

“The new estimates of the deposed dictator’s hidden cash, gold reserves and ‘investments’ are ‘staggering,’” McClatchy-Tribune reported.

A person who has studied details records of the asset search was quoted as saying, “No one truly appreciated the scope of it.”

The people of Libya, living hopelessly destitute lives, certainly didn’t know just how much of the country’s treasure was being taken by Gadhafi and members of his family, especially his sons. Two of them are dead and a third is reportedly hiding in the desert.

The question that now confronts the United States and the European Community which joined forces in providing air support to the rebels who rose up against the government is what should be done with the wealth.

Libya is the richest country in Africa because of its oil and while production is at a standstill, various countries have offered to help get the oil flowing again. In the interim, the U.N. has authorized the release of $1.5 billion from bank accounts frozen in the United States. The Obama administration has turned over $700 million of that amount.

Last Spring, the White House announced that $37 billion in Libyan regime accounts and investments had been found in the U.S. The administration froze the assets before Gadhafi and his aides could move them.

European interest

In Europe, France, Italy, England and Germany seized control of another $30 billion. Investigators estimated that the Libyan strongman stashed another $30 billion elsewhere.

But with the revelation that the value of the thievery could be as high as $200 billion, the United Nations should determine the exact amount and then move quickly to gain control of the assets.

The one thing the international community cannot afford is for the heavily armed rebels to use their new-found strength to tigger a civil war over the lack of food, water, proper housing and jobs.

There’s concern that Islamists backed by Iran have been gearing up to take control of the country. They will succeed if the people believe that the transitional government is no better than Gadhafi.