General

Moammar Gadhafi, “emancipator of women”

Gadhafi in Italy: If only all state visits were this colourful

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has arrived in Italy as part of an historic peace mission, with a 300-strong entourage featuring 40 female bodyguards. The idea is to put to rest some old grievances, dating back to Libya’s colonial history under Italian rule. But between Gadhafi’s newfound preoccupation with the “rights” of women, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s unique approach to leadership, the mission promises to be unlike any other. Gadhafi has requested a mass meeting with 700 of the country’s prominent women, whose independence he claims to have made his personal cause. He has also set up a tent outside his hotel where he plans to receive guests. Among those in line to meet the colonel is Mara Carfagna, a former topless model who Berlusconi brought into cabinet as his “Equal Opportunities Minister.”

Times of London

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