Gadaffi - what exactly is this Love Fest about ? A Triumph of spookery ?

Rentagob, welsh wizard and (very) junior foreign minister Kim Howells and Libyan Secretary for European Affairs Abdullati Obidi have jointly signed a letter that Britain pledges to seek U.N. Security Council action if the north African country were to be attacked with biological or chemical weapons.

Howells highlighted the level of confidence between the two countries.

"I believe that this mutual commitment will serve as an example to other states that there is a route back into the international community and the advantages of Libya's WMD decision," which apparenbtly relates to Libya's 2003 decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction.

Which is all very interesting, especially in relation to the missiles that DPRK has been selling to Libya - for many years.

In 1986 President Reagan tried to kill Gadaffi and used UK bases (Prop. Mrs Hilda Thatcher) - the following day on April 5th 1986 Scud missiles were fired at US resources on the Italian island of Lampedusa - the only time long range missiles have been fired in anger in Europe since the war.

The story goes that the resulting damage was so poor, Gadaffi wanted something larger and better. He turned to DPRK - because of the inability to effectively strike back at the U.S. or its allies was a source of great frustration to Gadaffi, so gave hime an incentive to acquire long-range ballistic missiles and WMD,

In 1991 Libya had talks with and money changed hands for Nodong missiles and it was May 1996 when Libya finally agreed a purchase and in April 1999 that a Libyan delegation went to DPRK followed by General Abu Bakr Jaber 6 months later to finalize the details.

In November 1999 parts of a Nodong engine were seized at heathrow of (textile) parts detsined for Tripoli via Malta and apparently had been sent from DPRK via Hong KOng with false documentation.

Libya was to pay US$200 Mn and to receive 50 Nodong missiles plus infrastructure and training. The missiles reached Libya in July 2000 and November 2000 and by August 2001 had received 38 Nodong Missiles.

At this time there were connections with Iran and they may have supplied the Iranian made Shehab 2 /3 (essentially a Nodong US sources say) from the Iranian Sheab Industrial Group (SHIG).

It is possible that besides the financing of these missiles and their development Libya has helped in financing development of the Taepodong - 1 (and maybe Type 2) which is said to be sat fuelled up on a launch pad today.

All of which , plus the declared rapprochement with the USA and the agreement to lift the ant Gadaffi people in ther North West of the UK recently after the US declared them "Persons of interest" is evident that Mr Gadaffi has ...

1) All along playing a very devious game as a double agent for the West, enabling them to effectively spy on the Iran / DPRK missile manufacturing resource... and also at a modest cost (US$200 Mn been able to sweep up the resource of the DPRK output which they have been so anxious to export for hard cash. This would of course extend to supplying information about Iran's resources also.

2) Had a massive change of mind very recently.This is of course the official story that in December 2003, after 9 months of secret talks by Libya / US / UK , Tripoli disclosed its WMD capabilities and agreed to eliminate all of its WMD-related materials and ballistic missiles with more than a 300 km range and 500 kg payload.

It is true that since December 2003, Gadaffi's men have cooperated extensively with the IAEA and OPCW personnel, and US/UK staff regarding the elimination of WMD and missile materials.

Despite all this co-operation precious little has been disclosed and reports on the history and achievements of Libya's missile capabilities have not yet appeared in open sources.

Although odd snippets appear through the "usual channels" e.g - Dame Judith Miller "Libya Discloses Production of 23 Tons of Mustard Gas," The New York Times online edition, March 6, 2004

Well which is it 1 or 2 (or even neither ?)

The pivotal role (if not a key role) played by the UK in all this is intriguing, instead of playing poodle we do seem to be rather calling the shots and the whole thing smells of the sort of FO / SIS long game spookery, that the denizens of ST.James and RUSI love - including the spurious cover story of leaking the desire to kill Gadaffi that let MI6 spies Machon and her tubby hubby roam freely around the crowds of UK dissenters as martyred heroes to the leftist anti Gubment cause. (There are lots of other ramifications - Lockerbie and all it's mysteries of course)

Rentagob Howell just has, as ever a walk on speaking part... which to be fair to the dimwit , he is rather good at.

UK Embassy Footnotes

1 . Libya renounced its weapons of mass destruction programmes in December 2003. The UK and Libya agreed to sign a 'Joint Letter on Peace and Security', based on the principles of the UN charter. The Letter recalls that the non-use of force and the prohibition of aggression are well established in the UN Charter and in international law. It commits the UK to seeking some form of UN Security Council action if Libya were attacked with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

2. Rabid (and very peripatetic) Ex Trot Lord Triesman visited Tripoli July 2005 and Charles Clarke, the then Home Secretary, visited in February 2006.

3. Ambassador Sir Vincent Fean KCVO took up his appointment in May 2006.(see pic)

4. Do not forget that the Dear Leader In March 2004, became one of the first western leaders in decades to visit Libya and publicly meet Gaddafi. Blair praised Gaddafi's recent acts, and stated that he hoped Libya could now be a strong ally in the international War on Terrorism. A visit which if what he said true had massive ramification which he uncharacteristically has not since referred to .. leaving the glory to Mr Howell. Hmmmmm.

After writing this I Googled and then Yahood and tried several engines to finf a picture of Gadaffi (no shrinking violet when it comes to pix) and Blair (ditto) - result only one tiny thumbnail the original of ehich has disapperaed from the server.

Hmmmmmmm. Maybe our Dear Leader has discovered the gift of humility.