THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, taunted Nato, predicting a military victory against the alliance even if it used nuclear bombs to oust him.
In an speech broadcast in audio by state television, Libya's Brother Leader delivered a trademark tirade that heaped scorn on the increasingly protracted campaign to bolster the rebellion against his 42-year rule.
"This is the first time they are facing an armed nation of millions," Col Gaddafi said. "They will be defeated. The alliance will be defeated.
"We are in our country and we insist on staying until death. We are staying, we are staying. Let them even use nuclear bombs."
The Libyan leader appeared to revel in the growing disquiet over the Nato campaign, which has now lasted longer than the 1999 air offensive that ousted the Serbs from Kosovo, mocking western leaders for their reluctance to deploy troops on the ground.
"If they come to the ground, we will wait for them, but they are cowards, they will not dare," he said. » | Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent | Friday, June 17, 2011
