Qaddafi's World Design: Libyan Foreign Policy, 1969-87

Qaddafi's Libya is a small state trying and failing -to play a world role. That is the thesis of this detailed and readable study of Libyan foreign policy over the last two decades. It looks at Qaddafi's ardent commitment to Arab nationalism and Arab unity, his 'holy war' against Israel, his stormy relationship with both superpowers, his adventures in Africa and his controversial role in the world of oil and OPEC.

It is a story of high-flown rhetoric, of grandiose ambition and (until recently) of vast oil wealth; but it is, ultimately, a story of failure. Despite his tireless intervention in every corner of the globe -from Northern Ireland to the South Pacific- Qaddafi has failed to achieve international stature. This book provides a lucid ad careful analysis of the least conventional leader of modern times.

Ronald Bruce St. John is an American political analyst based in Europe. He has spent four years working and travelling in Libya, and has published articles on Libyan politics in a number of major journals.