LIBYA: Translations and background of Kadafi speech
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Al Jazeera satellite network was tweeting translations of Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi’s rambling address to the nation on state television Tuesday, which just ended after more than an hour.
During the speech, Kadafi shook his fist, threatening to call the people to ‘cleanse Libya house by house’ unless protesters on the streets surrendered.
Kadafi also waved and read from the ‘Green Book,’ his 1975 treatise outlining his views of democracy, socialism and economics.
He said he was standing in front of a building bombed by U.S. forces in 1986, apparently referring to theattack by U.S. military forces on April 15, 1986. The attack came after U.S. officials determined Libyan agents were responsible for the April 5, 1986, bombing of a West Berlin disco that killed two U.S. servicemen.
Other highlights of the speech:
‘Moammar Kadafi is not the president, he is the leader of the revolution. He has nothing to lose. Revolution means sacrifice until the very end of your life.’
‘We challenge America with its mighty power, we challenge even the superpower.’
‘Moammar Kadafi is not a normal person that you can poison ... or lead a revolution against. I will fight until the last drop of blood with the people behind me.’
‘I haven’t even started giving the orders to use bullets -- any use of force against authority of state will be sentenced to death.’
‘They are just imitating Egypt and Tunisia. Protesters want to turn Libya into an Islamic state.’
‘If you love Moammar Kadafi you will go out and secure Libya’s streets.’
Others translated the speech -- and responses to it -- on a Libyan youth Twitter stream:
‘Libya is the tree, and we have watered this tree with our blood.’
‘I want to die here as a martyr.’
‘I have no intentions to step down like others have.’
-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske
Top photo: Longtime Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi displays his Green Book during an address to the nation Tuesday broadcast on state television. Credit: Reuters