Did Tony Blair Try to Save Gaddafi Before Libya Was Bombed?

A biography of David Cameron claims that Tony Blair attempted to save Gaddafi before the Libya bombing.

File photo of British Prime Minister Tony Blair shaking hands with Muammar Gaddafi (Photo: Reuters)

Tony Blair may be asked to participate in a government inquiry after allegations that the former prime minister of the United Kingdom attempted to save Colonel Muammar Gaddafi before the allied bombing of Libya.

A forthcoming biography of David Cameron claims that Blair was contacted by “a key individual close to Gaddafi” during the 2011 military campaign to topple the Libyan dictator, and subsequently telephoned the official Prime Ministerial residence,10, Downing Street on his behalf.

Blair allegedly called Downing Street to say that the Libyan leader wanted “a deal with the British”. On his part, David Cameron, is said not to have entertained the request.

The foreign affairs committee is currently conducting an inquiry into the government’s foreign policy with Libya. It is also reviewing British military action in the country. A member of the committee told The Times:

With these revelations, we should be pushing for Blair to come and explain as part of the inquiry. If this is true then we need to better understand what happened.
— Nadhim Zahawi, Foreign Affairs Committee

These claims, if proved could be detrimental to the reputation of the former Labour leader, who has already faced condemnation for allegedly arranging a “deal in the desert” in 2004, in which Gaddafi was to eschew global terror in exchange for aid from international companies to extract oil from Libya’s massive reserves.

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