Muammar Qaddafi Says America Can Look To Libya As A Model For Change

March 7, 2008 5:48 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - In a public address earlier this week Libyan leader Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi weighed in on the United States presidential election, offering up his nation as a model of change for America. According to a report posted on the Middle East Media Research website on Friday, Qaddafi said that both the Democratic presidential candidates could look to Libya as a model for the change they keep talking about.

In a lengthy narrative address, Qaddafi stated that he thinks a small minority of people elect officials in the United States, that he has heard Americans in general call for change in the nation's electoral process and that the Libyan system provides a model to follow.

"None of the peoples want elections," Qaddafi said, adding there is no ideal ruling system and there are conflicts everywhere. He then followed up by giving his analysis of what happened in the 2000 elections U.S. elections as another supporting point for adopting the Libyan model.

"They are still asking: 'Who won the elections - Al Gore or Bush?' If someone gets 49 percent of the votes, and you get 51 percent, you become president, against the will of 49 percent of the voters. Is that democracy? That is a farce," Qaddafi said.

Qaddafi added that no more than 30 percent of the public even votes, citing that as proof that Americans don't even want elections anymore.

"A very small minority decides who will be president, and they say they got a majority because they won one extra vote. Is that a democracy? How can you rule nine million people who did not vote for you? This is the epitome of dictatorship," Qaddafi said.