Muammar al-Qaddafi's unwanted tent
Why nobody wanted the Libyan leader's tent in their backyard—and why objecting may have been a bad idea.
Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi is "a lunatic who deserves an international cold shoulder," said Andrew Belonsky in Gawker. So it's not surprising that Englewood, N.J., turned him away, then the Pierre Hotel did the same thing, and then the leaders of Bedford, N.Y., made a last ditch attempt to stop the "Libyan dictator" from pitching his air-conditioned, Bedouin-style tent in their town, on the lawn of an estate owned by Donald Trump's company. (watch video footage of Qaddafi's tent) The trouble is, the hubbub is attracting attention to his visit, "and that's exactly what he wants."
If anyone should have turned away Muammar al-Qaddafi, said Mohamed Eljahmi in National Review, it was the United Nations. The U.S., too, has offered Libya undeserved accolades for giving up its weapons of mass destruction program, calling the country a model for other rogue states to follow. Qaddafi has solidified his rule thanks to six years of engagement with the world—and what have we received in return?
For one thing, said Geoffrey Robertson in The Daily Beast, we got a vile and rambling Qaddafi "rant" before the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday that was "arguably the lowest point in that organization’s history." This "was black humor at its zenith: the world’s worst international terrorist and mass murderer urging the United Nations to investigate all the atrocities with which he is not connected." When the worst criminals "can strut in triumph on the General Assembly stage," global justice has a long way to go.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Critics’ choice: Restaurants worthy of their buzz
feature A fun bistro, a reservation worth the wait, and a modern twist on Mexican dishes
By The Week US Published
-
Film reviews: Snow White, Death of a Unicorn, and The Alto Knights
Feature A makeover for Disney’s first animated feature, greedy humans earn nature’s wrath, and a feud between crime bosses rattles the mob
By The Week US Published
-
Bombs or talks: What’s next in the US-Iran showdown?
Talking Points US gives Tehran a two-month deadline to deal
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published