Muammar Gaddafi age, salary, nationality, married, divorced, career

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<h2>Early Life and Rise to Power</h2>
<p><a href="/biography/muammar-gaddafi">Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi</a>, commonly known as <a href="/biography/muammar-gaddafi">Colonel Gaddafi</a>, was born in 1942 near Sirte, in what was then Italian-occupied Libya. He came from a poor, nomadic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin">Bedouin</a> family that lived in the desert region of western Libya. Gaddafi studied at a military academy in Benghazi and was deeply influenced by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabs">Arab</a> nationalist ideologies, particularly those of Egyptian <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamal_Abdel_Nasser">president</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamal_Abdel_Nasser">Gamal Abdel Nasser</a>.</p>
<p>At the age of 27, Gaddafi seized power in a bloodless military coup on September 1, 1969, toppling King Idris I. After assuming control, he declared Libya a republic and began to reshape the country’s government and societal systems with a mix of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabs">Arab</a> nationalism, socialism, and Islamic principles. Officially, he served as the de facto leader of Libya from 1969 until his death in 2011.</p>

<h2>Leadership of Libya and Political Ideology</h2>
<p>Although Gaddafi held various official titles, he was most commonly referred to as "Brother Leader" or simply "<a href="/biography/muammar-gaddafi">Colonel Gaddafi</a>." He governed first as Prime Minister of the Libyan Arab Republic (1969–1977), and later transitioned to ruling through what he termed a "Jamahiriya" (state of the masses), a form of direct democracy based on his political philosophy outlined in the Green Book.</p>
<p>Gaddafi retained tight control over Libya’s vast oil wealth and used state revenues to implement ambitious social programs, including free education and healthcare, which improved literacy and life expectancy. However, his leadership was also marked by authoritarianism, limited political freedom, and the suppression of dissent. Over the course of his rule, Gaddafi became known as Africa’s and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabs">Arab</a> world’s longest-ruling, non-royal leader.</p>

<h2>International Relations and Accusations of Terrorism</h2>
<p>Gaddafi's foreign policy often placed him at odds with Western nations. In 1986, U.S. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan">President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan">Ronald Reagan</a> referred to Gaddafi as a "mad dog," reflecting the deeply strained relations at the time. Gaddafi’s government was widely accused of supporting international terrorism, including providing financial and logistical support to various militant groups.</p>
<p>Most notably, Libya was implicated in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which claimed 270 lives. After years of denial, Libya formally accepted responsibility in 2003 and agreed to compensate victims’ families, though Gaddafi himself never personally admitted fault.</p>

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<h2>Human Rights Abuses and Repression</h2>
<p>Under Gaddafi’s rule, Libya experienced significant human rights violations. Political opposition was not tolerated, and critics often faced imprisonment, torture, or execution. One of the most brutal incidents occurred in 1996, when over 1,200 inmates were reportedly massacred at Abu Salim prison in Tripoli. The regime also maintained strict control of the media and civil society, suppressing freedom of speech and political organization.</p>
<p>Despite criticism, Gaddafi remained in power for over four decades by consolidating authority through a sophisticated network of patronage and security forces, all while projecting an image of revolutionary leadership to both domestic and international audiences.</p>

<h2>The Arab Spring and Gaddafi's Death</h2>
<p>Gaddafi’s rule came to a dramatic end amid the wider wave of uprisings known as the Arab Spring. In early 2011, anti-government protests erupted in Libya, inspired by similar movements in Tunisia and Egypt. The demonstrations quickly escalated into a full-scale civil conflict between Gaddafi’s loyalists and rebel factions.</p>
<p>In response to the violence against civilians, NATO intervened militarily under a United Nations mandate, launching air strikes in support of the rebels. After months of intense fighting, Gaddafi was captured and killed by rebel forces on October 20, 2011, near his hometown of Sirte. His death marked the end of an era in Libyan history, but the country has continued to struggle with instability and political fragmentation in the aftermath.</p>

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