Quote Of The Day: Gone From The Shores Of Tripoli Edition

"You know that hope dies last. We always had hope, although we were quite skeptical and were afraid to say it." -- Kristiana Valcheva

When exactly did Muammar Gaddafi stop being an International Man of Insanity and become someone the civilized world is eager to do business with?

There's only one answer to that question, and it's not "when he gave up his nuclear program." It's "He hasn't."

Take today's news of the release (finally!) of the five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian/Bulgarian doctor Gaddafi held for eight years on phony charges that they deliberately gave AIDS to 438 Libyan children. It certainly is not evidence of a sane Libyan leader. It is, rather, evidence that Gaddafi has completed his diabolical plot successfully:

• He covered up the shameful condition he had allowed his nation's health care system to fall into because, frankly, he is a despotic egomaniac and could care less about "his people"
• He drummed up anti-western hatred and distrust among Libyans, many of whom apparently bought the insanely implausible story of the deliberate infections
• He blackmailed some nation or nations into giving him nearly half a billion dollars to secure the Bulgarians' release, and
  
• He feathered his nest in the process.

All in all, not bad. The only price paid was six innocent people scandalized and held unjustly for eight years ... and of course, 438 kids with AIDS.

Not that it mattered to Gaddafi, but the kids had AIDS before the Bulgarians ever got close to them, since Libyan doctors were still re-using needles long after most of the world had stopped. Gaddafi could have cared less because disposable needles would have cut into his disposable income.

Gaddafi couldn't tell the Libyan people the truth, and certainly no Libyan news outlet would cover the story. But still, he needed scapegoats, and he found them in well-meaning, good-hearted foreign health workers, who served well the dual purpose of creating a false enemy to deflect blame from Gaddafi and his useless government. That they helped flame Islamist paranoia and hatred only gilded the deal.

No EU nation will cop to paying off Gaddafi for the Bulgarians' freedom, but it's clear some deal was brokered through Qatar that involved something the Libyans are bragging to be $1 million for each of the infected kids, or half a billion dollars.

Here are the relevant quotes:

Mr Sarkozy [who, with his wife Cecelia, was instrumental in driving the release forward, fulfilling a campaign promise] and the EU denied making any financial payment to secure the medics' release.

However, the families of the 438 infected children reportedly agreed last week to a compensation deal worth $1m (£500,000) per child ....

Libya's foreign minister said both the EU and France had contributed to the fund, AFP reported. (BBC)

And:

Sarkozy "very warmly" thanked Qatar for its role in the early release of the prisoners but did not elaborate.

In response to a question about whether money had been paid to Libya for the release, Sarkozy said he wished to thank authorities of Qatar for their "mediation and their humanitarian intervention."

"It's up to them to say if they have anything to say on the subject" of their exact role, he said. (Daily Mail)

So that covers everything but the "feathering his nest" bit. That's easy enough ... follow the money. The $1 million per kid will be channeled through the Gaddafi Foundation, a "charity" run by Seif al-Islam, Gaddafi's son. Care to venture how much the kids will get?

So Gaddafi has further cemented his reputation as Islam's answer to Dr. Evil, capable of blackmailing the world in his sinister schemes. And in the process, he's sealed the EU's role of patsy, unable to deal with Islamic terror states. Now that Gaddafi has released his political prisoners, the EU is excited about trading with the terror state again ... one more reward for the bullying brat in Tripoli.

Meanwhile, the French focus their negativity not on the truly unrepentant evil of Gaddafi, but on Sarkozy. The rap? The "enlightened" French are angry that Cecelia Sarkozy stepped out of the traditional role of quiet first lady and was actively involved in brokering the Bulgarians' freedom.

Would they have been so offended is Socialist Segolene Royal had won and sent her long-time partner and father of their three (illegitimate) children, Francois Royale, to broker the deal?

Trick question. Royal wouldn't have done anything.