09 April 2011

SERBIA / LIBYA: Not All The World Hates Gadhafi; Some Serbians Cheer Him On.

PRI/ THE WORLD/ 
N. TABAK/ 
Audio report With Transcript/

   It seems hard to believe but not all the world detests Libyan dictator Gadhafi.
   Some Serbians recently rallied in support of him.
   In Belgrade in late March...hundreds marched, proclaiming: “Long Live Gaddafi!” a protest that was even broadcast on Libyan state television.
    There's also a FACEBOOK page: “Support for Moammar al Gaddhafi from the people of Serbia”...that has more than 66,000 “likes.” 
    Also...on this blog, a recent post/link about Serbians possibly serving as Libyan pilots...unexpectedly got hundreds of views.
   Why all the support and interest?
    It seems that the good relations between Gadhafi and Serbia ...go way back.
    Gadhafi and Yugoslav dictator Josip Tito (pictured) both were leaders of the nonaligned movement.
    Also many students from Libya studied in Serbia. Gadhafi even attended the Yugoslav Air Force Academy.
   Most importantly, Gadhafi backed Serbia and Milosevic during the1990s Balkan wars and the Libyan leader stood by Serbia against Kosovo’s independence.
   Many Serbs apparently haven’t forgotten.