Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qadhafi yesterday said his nation has not been adequately "rewarded" for deciding in 2003 to abandon its WMD programs, Reuters reported (see GSN, March 11).
"We cannot accept living in the shadow of intercontinental missiles and nuclear weapons, which is why we decided to change route," Qadhafi said.
"We had hoped Libya would be an example to other countries," he added. "But we have not been rewarded by the world."
Following Libya's move, the Bush administration scaled back economic sanctions against the country and restored diplomatic ties that had been severed since 1980 (see GSN, Nov. 24, 2008). Tripoli was also freed of international penalties in 2003 (Brown/Pullella, Reuters, June 11).