Muammar al-Gaddafi interview "Because Sweden is not America"

The Libyan leader Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi talks about his relation to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Swedish reporter Stina Lundberg Dabrowski did the interview with the Libyan leader on November 15, 1990. The rather remarkable inteview takes place during the first Gulf War (August 2, 1990 -- February 28, 1991), at a time when several foreigners were held as hostages in Baghdad by the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The hostages had been refused exit visas and were videly seen as human shields, though Saddam Hussein denied the claim. Swedish reporter Stina Lundberg Dabrowski asks the Libyan leader if there is anything he can do to free the Swedish hostages in Iraq. The colonel, who is seemingly unaware of hostages of Swedish origin, listens, takes notes and promises to "do his best". Lundberg: "What's your relation to Saddam Hussein?" Gaddafi: "Huh... On which level do you mean..?" Lundberg: "I mean on a political level." Gaddafi: "The relationship with an Arabic country is like the relationship to other Arabic countries." Lundberg: "Because then I wonder if you could please help us to get the Swedish hostages out of Iraq and back to Sweden again." Gaddafi: "Are there Swedish citizens right now in Iraq?" Lundberg: Yes, there are Swedish citizens in Iraq who want to go home, but President Saddam Hussein wont let them go home." Gaddafi: (silence - takes notes) Lundberg: "Could you please speak to President Hussein about that?" Gaddafi: "Sure, I will do my best." Lundberg: "Do you have the power to persuade him, do you think?" Gaddafi: "I will try. I will do my best. Because Sweden is not America." Stina Lundberg träffar Libyens stadschef Moammar Khadaffi och de pratar om de svenskar som hålls som gisslan i Irak. Libya or Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. In Arabic: لجماهيرية العربية الليبية الشعبية الاشتراكية العظمى