Libya

:This article is about Libya, the country in North Africa. For the mythical character of the same name see: Libya (mythology).

History

Main article: History of Libya

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Tripoli and Cyrenaica were Roman colonies until they were conquered by Arab Muslims in the 7th century. By the 19th century the area was an increasingly independent Ottoman province until it came under the control of Italy in 1912.

Related Topics:
Tripoli - Cyrenaica - Roman - Arab - Muslims - 7th century - 19th century - Ottoman - Italy - 1912

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After the Second World War Libya was granted independence as a condition of the Allied peace treaty with Italy. Since 1969 Libya has been ruled by Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi, who came to power in a coup and deposed the Libyan monarchy of King Idris.

Related Topics:
Second World War - 1969 - Muammar al-Qaddafi - Coup - Monarchy - King Idris

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Qadhafi rejected both Soviet Communism and Western capitalism and claimed that he was charting an independent course, portraying himself as a champion of "oppressed peoples" and Third World nations seeking to assert their independence on the international stage.

Related Topics:
Soviet - Communism - Capitalism - Third World

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U.S.-Libyan relations deteriorated when in December 2 1979, Libyan mobs sacked the United States embassy in Tripoli. Qadhafi referred to the incident as a "spontaneous demonstration" and denied any involvement. It is suspected that he ordered the attack to show sympathy to Ayatollah Khomeini and the new government of Iran. In May 1980, the United States withdrew all U.S. diplomats but did not break off diplomatic ties with Libya.

Related Topics:
U.S. - December 2 - 1979 - United States - Embassy - Tripoli - Demonstration - Ayatollah Khomeini - Government - Iran - May - 1980

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In 1980, the Libyan government paid Jimmy Carter's brother, Billy Carter, $220,000 to lobby for better diplomatic relations between the United States and Libya.

Related Topics:
Jimmy Carter - Billy Carter

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On May 6, 1981, four and a half months after Ronald Reagan became president of the United States, the United States government accused the Libyan government of sponsoring international terrorism. All Libyan diplomats were expelled and the United States officially broke diplomatic relations between the two nations. The Libyan embassy was also shut down.

Related Topics:
May 6 - 1981 - Ronald Reagan - Terrorism

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The Reagan administration saw Libya as an unacceptable player on the international stage because of its backing of Palestinian armed groups, its support for revolutionary Iran in its 1980-1988 war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq (see Iran-Iraq War), and its assistance to guerrilla movements in different parts of the world, many which were conducted by separatist groups such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Related Topics:
Palestinian - Iran - 1980 - 1988 - Saddam Hussein - Iraq - Iran-Iraq War - Separatist - Provisional Irish Republican Army - Euskadi Ta Askatasuna - Palestine Liberation Organization

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In March 1982 the U.S. declared a ban on the import of Libyan petroleum and the export to Libya of U.S. industrial technology items, most of which were used for oil; Europe did not follow suit.

Related Topics:
March - 1982 - Petroleum

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Relations between the UK and Libya became strained following the 1984 Libyan Embassy Siege, when shots were fired at a crowd of protesters, killing a policewoman, leading to a break in relations.

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The U.S. attacked Libyan patrol boats from January to March 1986 during clashes over access to the Gulf of Sidra, which Libya claimed as territorial waters but was not recognized internationally. Qadhafi had long referred to it as the "line of death". Later, on April 14, 1986, Reagan ordered major bombing raids against so-called "terrorist sites" in Tripoli and Benghazi that killed approximately 60 people. The bombings followed U.S. accusations of Libyan involvement in an explosion at the German La Belle nightclub frequented by U.S. servicemen on April 5, which had killed 3. Among the victims of the April 14 bombing raid was the adopted daughter of Qadhafi. However the raid appeared to have had its desired effect as Libyan attacks against Americans became more subtle, with the exception of the Lockerbie bombing.

Related Topics:
January - March - 1986 - Gulf of Sidra - Line of death - April 14 - Major bombing raids - Tripoli - Benghazi - La Belle - April 5

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The United Nations imposed sanctions against Libya in 1992 following the Pan Am Flight 103 Lockerbie bombing. The sanctions were lifted on September 12, 2003, after Libya agreed to accept responsibility and make payment of US $2.7 billion to the families of those who died in the bombing. In the same vein, on February 26, 2004, the United States lifted its 23-year travel ban to Libya, and on September 21 that year eliminated the remaining economic sanctions, lifting the prohibitions of the Libyan Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 550, and unblocking property and property interests previously restricted under those regulations.

Related Topics:
United Nations - Sanctions - 1992 - Pan Am Flight 103 - September 12 - 2003 - February 26 - 2004

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