Wikileaks – While we haven’t heard from Assange in a good while, with all those distracting skirmishes in the Middle East, there still some relevance in the leaks a while back. For example, on how McCain promised Qaddafi some weapons.

Even while right now there is a pissing contest, where John McCain, Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Grahamblame each other for not doing enough to democratize the hell out of Libya and for not doing enough to rid the world of Qaddafi, two years ago they where in Tripoli with the Brother Leader assuring him that they offered their friendship and lend him their axe. The leaked cable has some interesting factoids:

Lieberman called Libya an important ally in the war on terrorism, noting that common enemies sometimes make better friends.

Even though Qaddafi and the US wheren’t the bestest of friends, once the US made up found Weapons of Mass Deception Destruction in Iraq and they invaded tried to bring democracy there, they needed friends. Even if that meant bedding batshit crazy dictators and that such dictatorship and utter insanity might lead to some small obstacles that are fun and challenging:

Senator McCain assured Muatassim that the United States wanted to provide Libya with the equipment it needs for its TRIPOLI 00000677 002.2 OF 002 security. He stated that he understood Libya’s requests regarding the rehabilitation of its eight C130s (ref D) and pledged to see what he could do to move things forward in Congress. He encouraged Muatassim to keep in mind the long-term perspective of bilateral security engagement and to remember that small obstacles will emerge from time to time that can be overcome.

So, how do befriend a homicidal lunatic? Give into his crazy demands. For guns. Because guns never hurt anyone anyway:

McCain’s meetings with Muammar and Muatassim al-Qadhafi were positive, highlighting the progress that has been made in the bilateral relationship. The meetings also reiterated Libya’s desire for enhanced security cooperation, increased assistance in the procurement of defense equipment, and resolution to the C130s issue.

You’re probably aware what happened next. Protesters where discouraged to protest by Qadaffi using the military to tell them to STFU. The U.S. joined in and rained down bombs to hold Qaddafi’s forces at bay as rebels organized a coherent opposition council. As the rebels went on the offensive, Western and allied bombers lent them air support with surveillance and tactical bombings.

And McCain? And Lieberman? They don’t want to be friends with Qadaffi any more. They “Habe es nie gewust” that Qaddafi was in fact, an evil opressor and now McCain and Lieberman starts blaming everyone, including Obama that they never took action against Qaddafi:

“We…commend our British, French, and other allies, as well as our Arab partners, especially Qatar and the UAE, for their leadership in this conflict,” they write, “but we regret that this success was so long in coming due to the failure of the United States to employ the full weight of our airpower.”

See also: McCain.senate.gov, Wikileaks

Update: BBC on NATO’s Hunt For Qaddafi