Muammer Gaddafi’s lethal repression of demonstrators in Libya is shocking, but not surprising – and may be one of the final acts of a desperate regime. The dictator has a long history of quashing the slightest sign of opposition. When UN sanctions were lifted in 2003, however, western powers showed casual disregard for Mr Gaddafi’s brutal domestic record in their rush to forge diplomatic and commercial links with the oil-rich country. Now, clashes between unarmed protesters and security forces have killed more than 200 people. A stark truth has been laid bare: a belligerent leader who transforms his foreign policy has changed nothing if he does not also reform his own country.
穆阿迈尔•卡扎菲(Muammer Gaddafi)对利比亚示威者的血腥镇压令人震惊，但并不出人意料，这也许是一个绝望政权的最后招数之一。在掐灭哪怕是最微弱的反对火种方面，这位独裁者可谓拥有悠久的历史。不过，在联合国于2003年解除制裁后，西方大国忙着与石油资源丰富的利比亚建立外交和商业联系，而对卡扎菲野蛮的国内记录表现得满不在乎。现在，手无寸铁的抗议者与军警之间的冲突已导致200余人丧生。一个残酷的现实在世人面前暴露无遗：一个转变了外交政策的好战领导人，如果不同时在自己的国家推行改革，那就什么都没有改变。