For the eighth year the country has been in a state of ongoing civil war, having broken up into several territories controlled by various warring factions. The Libyan Jamahiriya, the country of Muammar Gaddafi, is no longer there. Some blame it on cruelty, corruption, and the previous power mired in luxury, others blame military intervention by the forces of the international coalition under the sanction of the UN Security Council.
early years
Muammar bin Muhammad Abu Menyar Abdel Salam bin Hamid al-Gaddafi was born, according to some of his biographers, in 1942 in Tripolitania, that was the name of Libya, the former colony of Italy. Other experts write that the year of birth is the 1940th. Muammar Gaddafi himself wrote in a biography that he appeared in a Bedouin tent in the spring of 1942, then his family wandered near Wadi Jaraf, 30 km south of the Libyan city of Sirte. Specialists also call different dates - either June 7, or June 19, sometimes they simply write in the fall or spring.
The family belonged to the Berber, albeit heavily Arabized tribe al-Gaddaf. Later, he always proudly emphasized his origin - "we Bedouins enjoyed freedom in the midst of nature." His father grazed camels and goats, roaming from place to place, his mother was engaged in housekeeping, in which she was helped by three older sisters. Grandfather was killed by Italian colonists in 1911. Muammar Gaddafi was the last, sixth child in the family, and his only son.
At 9 years old, he was sent to elementary school. In search of good pastures, the family constantly wandered, he had to change three schools - in Sirte, Sebha and Misurat. In a poor Bedouin family there was no money to even find a corner or attach with friends. In the family, he became the only one who received an education. The boy spent the night in a mosque, walked 30 km on weekends to visit relatives. Holidays also spent in the desert by the tent. Muammar Gaddafi himself recalled that they always wandered about 20 km from the coast, and in his childhood he never saw the sea.
Education and the first revolutionary experience
After graduating from elementary school, he continued his education at a secondary school in the city of Sebha, where he created an underground youth organization whose goal was to overthrow the ruling monarchical regime. After gaining independence in 1949, King Idris 1. ruled the country. Muammar Gaddafi in his youth was an ardent admirer of Egyptian leader and President Gamal Abdel Nasser, an adherent of socialist and pan-Arab views.
He participated in protests in 1956 against Israeli actions during the Suez crisis. In 1961, a school underground cell held a protest rally related to the withdrawal of Syria from the United Arab Republic, which culminated in a fiery speech by Gaddafi near the walls of the ancient city. For organizing anti-government demonstrations, he was expelled from school, expelled from the city, and he continued his education at a school in Misurata.
Information about further education is extremely contradictory, according to some sources, he studied at the law faculty of Libyan University, which he graduated in 1964 and then entered the military academy. After serving in the army and was sent to study armored business in the UK.
According to other sources, after graduating from high school, he studied at a military school in Libya, then continued his education at a military school in Bowington Heaths (England). It is sometimes written that while studying at the university he simultaneously attended a lecture course at the military academy in Benghazi.
During his studies at the university, Muammar Gaddafi founded the secret organization “Free Officers Socialist Unionists”, copying the name from the organization of his political idol Nasser “Free Officers” and also proclaiming as his target an armed seizure of power.
Armed coup preparation
The first meeting of the organization took place in 1964, on the sea coast, near the village of Tolmeyta, under the slogans of the Egyptian revolution "Freedom, Socialism, Unity." Cadets in deep underground began to prepare an armed coup. Muammar Gaddafi later wrote that the formation of the political consciousness of his circle was influenced by the national struggle unfolding in the Arab world. And of particular importance was the first realized Arab unity of Syria and Egypt (for about 3.5 years they existed within the framework of one state).
The revolutionary work was carefully conspiratorial. As one of the active participants in the Rifi Ali Sheriff coup recalled, he knew only Gaddafi personally and the platoon commander. Despite the fact that cadets had to report on where they were going, with whom they were meeting, they found an opportunity to engage in illegal work. Gaddafi was very popular among the cadet community due to his sociability, thoughtfulness and ability to behave impeccably. At the same time, he was in good standing with his superiors, who considered him a "bright head" and an "incorrigible dreamer." Many members of the organization did not even suspect that the exemplary cadet was leading the revolutionary movement. He was distinguished by outstanding organizational abilities, the ability to accurately determine the capabilities of each new member of the underground. The organization had at least two officers in each military camp who collected information about the units and reported on the mood of the personnel.
After receiving a military education in 1965, he was sent to serve as a lieutenant in the liaison forces at the Gar Younes military base. A year later, after undergoing retraining in the UK, he was promoted to captain. During the internship, he came close with his future closest ally Abu Bakr Younis Jaber. Unlike other listeners, they strictly followed Muslim customs, did not participate in pleasure trips and did not drink alcohol.
At the head of a coup
The general plan for the military coup, code-named "El-Quds" ("Jerusalem") was prepared by the officers in January 1969, but three times the start date of the operation was postponed for various reasons. At this time, Gaddafi served as adjutant of the Signal Corps (liaison troops). In the early morning of September 1, 1969 (at that time the king was undergoing medical treatment in Turkey), the conspirator’s fighting units simultaneously began to seize state and military facilities in the country's largest cities, including Benghazi and Tripoli. All entrances to foreign military bases were blocked in advance.
In the biography of Muammar Gaddafi, this was one of the most crucial moments, he, at the head of a group of rebels, had to seize the radio station and broadcast the message to the people. Also, his task included preparing for a possible foreign intervention or fierce resistance within the country. Having advanced at 2:30, a capture group led by Captain Gaddafi in several cars by 4 o’clock in the morning occupied a radio station in the city of Benghazi. As Muammar recalled later, from the hill where the station was located, he saw how columns of trucks with soldiers were coming from the port towards the city, and then he realized that they had won.
Exactly at 7:00 Gaddafi made an appeal, now known as “Communique No. 1”, in which he reported that the army forces, fulfilling the dreams and aspirations of the people of Libya, overthrew the reactionary and corrupt regime, which shocked everyone and caused negative emotions.
On top of power
The monarchy was abolished, and a temporary supreme body of state power, the Council of the Revolutionary Command, was formed, which included 11 officers. The name of the state was changed from the United Kingdom of Libya to the Libyan Arab Republic. A week after the coup, the 27-year-old captain was appointed supreme commander of the armed forces of the country with the rank of colonel, who wore until his death. Until 1979, he was the only colonel in Libya.
At a mass rally in October 1969, Gaddafi announced the principles of politics on which the state will be built: the complete elimination of foreign military bases in Libya, positive neutrality, Arab and national unity, and a ban on the activities of all political parties.
In 1970, he becomes the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the country. The first thing that Muammar Gaddafi and the new government headed by him did was the liquidation of the American and English military bases. On the “day of revenge” for the colonial war, 20 thousand Italians were evicted from the country, and their property was confiscated, and the graves of Italian soldiers were destroyed. All the lands of the exiled colonists are nationalized. In 1969-1971, all foreign banks and oil companies were also nationalized, 51% of the assets were transferred to the state in local companies.
In 1973, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi announced the start of a cultural revolution. As he himself explained that, unlike the Chinese, they did not try to introduce a new one, but, on the contrary, offered to return to the old Arab and Islamic heritage. All the laws of the country should have been consistent with Islamic law, an administrative reform was planned to eradicate bureaucratization and corruption in the state apparatus.
Third World Theory
While in power, he begins to develop a concept in which he formulated his political and socio-economic views and which he contrasted with the two ideologies that prevailed at that time - capitalist and socialist. Therefore, it was called the “Third World Theory” and is set forth in the Green Book of Muammar Gaddafi. His views were a combination of Islamic ideas and theoretical views on the direct rule of the people of the Russian anarchists Bakunin and Kropotkin.
Soon, administrative reform was launched, in accordance with the new concept, all bodies began to be called people's, for example, ministries - people's commissariats, embassies - people's bureaus. Since the people became the dominant force, the post of head of state was canceled. Gaddafi was officially called the Leader of the Libyan Revolution.
In a collision with internal resistance, several military coups and attempts were prevented, Colonel Gaddafi took tough measures to eliminate dissent. The prisons were crowded with dissidents, many opponents of the regime were killed, some of them in other countries where they fled.
At the beginning of his reign, and even up to the 90s, Muammar Gaddafi did a lot to improve the living standards of the country's population. Large-scale projects were implemented to develop a system for the development of health care and education, irrigation and the construction of public housing. In 1968, 73% of Libyans were illiterate; over the first decade, several dozen knowledge dissemination centers, national cultural centers, hundreds of libraries and reading rooms were opened. By 1977, the literacy rate rose to 51%, and by 2009, the figure was already 86.8%. From 1970 to 1980, 80% of those in need who had previously lived in huts and tents were provided with modern housing; 180 thousand apartments were built for this.
In foreign policy, he advocated the creation of a single pan-Arab state, striving to unite all North African Arab states, and later advanced the idea of creating the United States of Africa. Despite the declared positive neutrality, Libya fought with Chad and Egypt, several times the Libyan troops participated in intra-African military conflicts. Gaddafi supported many revolutionary movements and groups and for a long time adhered to sharp anti-American and anti-Israeli views.
Chief terrorist
In 1986, at the La Belle disco in West Berlin, which was very popular among the US military, an explosion occurred - three people died and 200 were injured. Based on intercepted reports, where Gaddafi called for maximum damage to the Americans, and one of them revealed the details of the terrorist attack, Libya was accused of contributing to world terrorism. The US president gave the order to bomb Tripoli.
As a result of terrorist acts:
- in December 1988, a Boeing, flying from London to New York, exploded in the sky over the town of Lockerbie in southern Scotland (270 people died);
- in September 1989, a DC-10 was blown up in the skies above the African Niger, flying from Brazzaville to Paris with 170 passengers on board.
In both cases, Western intelligence agencies found traces of the Libyan secret services. The evidence gathered was enough for the United Nations Security Council to impose tough sanctions on the Jamacheria in 1992. Sales of many types of technological equipment were banned, Libyan assets were frozen in Western countries.
As a result, in 2003, Libya recognized the responsibility of those in the public service for the attack on Lockerbie and paid compensation to the relatives of the victims. In the same year, sanctions were lifted, relations with Western countries were adjusted so much that Gaddafi began to suspect the financing of the election campaigns of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Photo by Muammar Gaddafi with these and other world politicians adorned the magazines of the leading countries of the world.
Civil War
In February 2011, the Arab spring came to Libya, protests began in Benghazi, which grew into clashes with the police. Unrest spread to other cities in the east of the country. Government forces backed by mercenaries brutally suppressed the protests. However, soon the whole east of Libya was under the control of the rebels, the country was divided into two parts controlled by different tribes.
On the night of March 17-18, the UN Security Council allowed to take any measures to protect the Libyan population, with the exception of the ground operation, and flights of Libyan aircraft were also prohibited. The very next day, US and French aviation began to launch missile and bomb strikes to protect civilians. Gaddafi repeatedly spoke on television, now threatening, then offering a truce. On August 23, rebels captured the capital of the country, a Transitional National Council was formed, which was recognized as the legitimate government by several dozen countries, including Russia. Due to the threat to life, Muammar Gaddafi about 12 days before the fall of Tripoli managed to move to the city of Sirte.
The last day of the Libyan leader
On the morning of October 20, 2011, the rebels stormed Sirte, Gaddafi with the remnants of his guard tried to break south into Niger, where they promised him a shelter. However, a convoy of approximately 75 vehicles was bombed by NATO aircraft. When a small personal motorcade of the former Libyan leader separated from her, he fell under fire.
The rebels captured the wounded Gaddafi, the crowd began to mock him, poke him with a gun, stuck a knife in the buttock. Bloodied, they put him on the hood of the car and continued to torture him until he died. Images from these last minutes of the Libyan leader have been featured in many documentaries about Muammar Gaddafi. Together with him, several of his associates and son Murtasim died. Their bodies were put on display in the Misurata industrial refrigerator, then they were taken out into the desert and buried in a secret place.
A tale with a bad ending
Muammar Gaddafi’s life was spent in inconceivable sophisticated oriental luxury, surrounded by gold, protection from virgins, even the plane was inlaid with silver. He really loved gold, from this metal he made a sofa, a Kalashnikov rifle, a golf cart and even a fly swatter. Libyan media estimated the status of its leader at $ 200 billion. In addition to numerous villas, houses and entire towns, he owned shares in major European banks, companies and even the Juventus Football Club. During foreign trips, Gaddafi always took with him a Bedouin tent in which he held official meetings. Along with him they always drove live camels so that they could drink a glass of fresh milk for breakfast.
The Libyan leader has always been surrounded by a dozen beautiful bodyguards who had to wear stilettos and have perfect makeup. The protection of Muammar Gaddafi was recruited from girls who did not have sexual experience. At first, everyone believed that such protection was more intuitive. However, later in the Western press they began to write that girls also serve for love joys. Perhaps this is true, but the security worked in good faith. In 1998, when unidentified people fired on Gaddafi, the main bodyguard Aisha closed him and died. Photos of Muammar Gaddafi with his guards were very popular in the western tabloids.
The leader of the Jamacheria himself has always said that he is an opponent of polygamy. The first wife of Muammar Gaddafi - Fathia Nuri Khaled, was a school teacher. In this marriage, the son of Muhammad was born. After the divorce, he married Safia Farkash, with whom they had seven of their children and two adopted. Four children died as a result of airstrikes of the Western coalition and at the hands of rebels. Potential successor 44-year-old Saif tried to move from Libya to Niger, but was captured and imprisoned in the city of Zintan. He was later released, and now he is trying to agree with the tribal leaders and public figures on the formation of a common program. The wife and other children of Muammar Gaddafi managed to move to Algeria.