The United States and Revolutionary Libya, 1968-1973: Evidence from newly Declassified Records*

Abstract

American recently declassified records give evidence that Qaddafi did not meet any significant opposition from the Nixon Administration during his first years in power. Washington had realised that producers had acquired control of their natural resources, and only pursued continued access to Middle Eastern energy sources. Moreover, all Western capitals hoped that the young dictator would turn into a stronghold against Russian influence in the area at issue. After all, US companies had not been expelled from Libya, whose market was growing more and more towards Western Europe. In a few words, each time policy makers suggested a course of action rather hostile to Tripoli, this option was always excluded as non profitable to American interests. All this shows that the Nixon Administration was trying to “contain” the Libyan regime, at the same time building a dam against the Soviets, who were the real target of Nixon’s Twin Pillars Policy.