Obama Shakes Hands With Libya's Qaddafi President Obama's gesture was his latest effort to reach out to controversial world leaders in an attempt to improve the United States' standing around the world that he says was damaged by former President Bush's unilateral diplomacy. President Obama shook hands with Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi Thursday, a sign that relations have improved considerably between the U.S. and the North African nation. The two met as they posed for pictures ahead of a G-8 summit dinner hosted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. Obama's diplomatic gesture was his latest effort to reach out to controversial world leaders in an attempt to improve the United States' standing around the world, which he says was damaged by former President Bush's unilateral diplomacy. But it was Bush who restored full diplomatic relations with Libya in 2006 after the formerly isolated country, which was recognized as a sponsor of terrorism, announced it was ending its weapons of mass destruction program.
President Obama's gesture was his latest effort to reach out to controversial world leaders in an attempt to improve the United States' standing around the world that he says was damaged by former President Bush's unilateral diplomacy.
President Obama shook hands with Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi Thursday, a sign that relations have improved considerably between the U.S. and the North African nation.
The two met as they posed for pictures ahead of a G-8 summit dinner hosted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.
Obama's diplomatic gesture was his latest effort to reach out to controversial world leaders in an attempt to improve the United States' standing around the world, which he says was damaged by former President Bush's unilateral diplomacy.
But it was Bush who restored full diplomatic relations with Libya in 2006 after the formerly isolated country, which was recognized as a sponsor of terrorism, announced it was ending its weapons of mass destruction program.
If we look at the dinner setting the message B is conveying is that he is responsible for détente between Qaddafi and Obama. Unmerited credit.
