Eyes on the Middle East this day in 1986. Moammar Khadafy, appearing on radio and television for the first time since the U.S. bombing raids, proclaimed, “We are ready to die. Even if the United States hits us with nuclear weapons, we will face America, because Allah is stronger than the United States.” He called on Arab nations to sever diplomatic, economic and military ties with the United States. He did not repeat threats against the United States released by Libyan officials after the raid or renew his government’s earlier call for reprisal attacks.
It was not clear from where Khadafy was speaking or whether the broadcast, which began shortly before 11 p.m. Tripoli time, was live or taped. However, Western television technicians said the quality of the broadcast picture indicated that Khadafy had spoken live. Khadafy thanked France, Italy, Greece and Malta for voicing opposition to the U.S. attack, and he specifically thanked France for not permitting U.S. aircraft to fly over its territory. “We know these planes came from England. We would like to thank France for not letting the planes cross its airspace,” the Libyan leader said. “It is a great honor for such a small country like Libya to stand and fight a U.S. aggression, and Britain and the countries of NATO We are ready to fight if they force us to fight.
Meanwhile – The surge in terrorism anticipated by the Reagan administration after the US bombing of Libya took shape Thursday with the murders of three kidnap victims in Lebanon an attempt to put explosives aboard an Israeli airliner in London and fire bombs thrown at a US Marine post in Tunisia In Khartoum the US Embassy announced Thursday the evacuation of some 200 dependents of mission employees and other personnel from Sudan apparently because of Libyan threats against American targets The announcement came after an embassy employee was shot in the head in Khartoum late Tuesday and thousands of people on Wednesday burned American flags and shouted slogans to protest the US bombing raid on Libya.
And catching the Democratic majority by surprise, House Republicans successfully halted consideration Wednesday of President Reagan’s $100 million aid proposal for Nicaraguan rebels because it was attached to a spending bill the White House considers excessive. The Republican strategy, to which the White House consented, caused Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill to pull the Democratic bill from the floor and then adjourn the House, leaving uncertain the immediate future of the contra aid legislation. In the 361-66 vote, Iowa Republicans Cooper Evans, Jim Leach, Jim Ross Lightfoot and Tom Tauke and Democrat Berkley Bedell voted for an amendment to kill the aid package, while Democrat Neal Smith voted against it.
And aside from the continuing fallout from the Libyan air strike that’s a tiny fraction of what went on this April 17th in 1986 as reported by The CBS World News Roundup.
