Embattled Gadhafi Heaps Praise on Ailing Mubarak

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Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi heaped praise on toppled Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, describing him as "poor and modest" and saying he deserved honor rather than humiliation.

"I know Hosni Mubarak, a poor and modest man" who loves his people, Gadhafi said in an audio message broadcast on state television late Saturday to mark the anniversary of the 1952 coup in Egypt led by Gamal Abdel Nasser against the monarchy.

This "revolution," Gadhafi said, had inspired him to lead a coup in Libya that toppled Western-backed King Idriss on September 1, 1969.

"Instead of being humiliated, Hosni Mubarak should be honored," Gadhafi said.

Mubarak, 83, whose three-decade rule ended with a popular revolt in February, is expected to go on trial on August 3 with his two sons on murder and corruption charges.

He is under arrest in a hospital in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm al-Sheikh, undergoing treatment for a heart condition.

Gadhafi, who is clinging to power despite a massive revolt against his autocratic rule and months of NATO air strikes against his regime, urged Egyptians to follow Libya's political model -- theoretically direct democracy and the power of the masses.

He added that the conflict sweeping his country was not a battle against his regime but a "colonial plot."

He also denied accusations by international rights groups of a brutal suppression of dissent and that his regime had killed thousands of protesters.

"They lie to you and say, 'Libya kills its people with bullets, that is why we have come to protect civilians'," Gadhafi said, referring to the NATO air campaign which was mandated by the United Nations with the aim of protecting civilians in Libya.

"Only eight people have been killed and an inquiry is under way to determine who killed them. There are no protests and no gunfire. Show us where the thousands of people (reportedly killed) are buried," Gadhafi said.

Comments 4
Default-user-icon Le Phenicien (Guest) over 12 years

Should put a third chair for Saad Hariri next t them .. even if he is not a President but a " small " very small PM or ex pm for life and by accident .

Thumb Marc over 12 years

Le Phenecian: the more I read your posts, the more I am convinced that you have a psychological issues ..... The amount of hatred you show is the root cause of our problems in Lebanon - free yourself man, go see a shrink

Peace to all

Default-user-icon Le Phenicien (Guest) over 12 years

@ Marc ,
The more I read your posts , the more I think that you are an error of the nature . You came to earth by mistake , your parents did not want you .

Default-user-icon The Truth (Guest) over 12 years

Le Phenicien, equating bad policies with mass murdering dicator like Ghaddafi or a man who tortured his own people like Mubarak shows your stupidity. Hariri isn't even in power, let's see how well Lebanon does in the Assad-Iran-Hezb Allah axis when one of the 3 main pieces is falling apart (in Syira).