Qaddafi challenges international pressure

Qaddafi announced in an interview broadcast Wednesday that Libyans would fight Western nations, should they try to implement a no-fly zone in the country.

The announcement, broadcasted on Turkish television, follows weeks of turmoil since the uprising began on February 15.

“Such a situation would be useful,” Qaddafi said. “The Libyan people would understand their real aims to take Libya under their control, to take their freedoms and to take their oil and all Libyan people will take up arms and fight,” obviously underscoring the fact that he would use military operations by Western nations to attempt to create a national movement to reunite the people behind him.

Libyan forces loyal to Qaddafi have been fighting rebels both directly and through aerial bombing.

Qaddafi attempted to further stifle international pressure, claiming that the resistance movement he was fighting was Al Qaeda.

“If Al Qaeda seizes Libya, that will amount to a huge disaster,” Qaddafi said. “If they (Al Qaeda fighters) take this place over, the whole region, including Israel, will be dragged into chaos. Then, (Al Qaeda leader Usama) Bin Laden may seize all of north Africa that faces Europe.”