"Don't force us back to bombing!"

Well now isn't that a nice sentiment. Is that an olive branch or a club in your hands sir? Muammar is back and he's not exactly reciting an act of contrition, for the murder of hundreds of his fellow human beings over the skies of Lockerbie. Nor is he providing a mea culpa for the assorted bombings, murders and thuggery of the past. And about that financing and supply of countless terrorist groups over the years, well you know how it is, let bygones, be bygones .

But now that he's on the "A list" with George Bush and Tony Blair, Muammar Gaddafi fancies himself to be a statesman. Today Gaddafi made his first appearance in an international gathering since he provided compensation for the Lockerbie murders and turned over his weapons of mass destruction for inventory and maybe destruction. With followers chanting and drummers drumming he took to the stage to harangue the gathered EU apostles and a waiting media (one which was not allowed to ask any questions, a free press a somewhat unwanted inconvenience at the EU it seems).

Accompanied by four blue clad female body guards, (giving the presentation, the appearance of a Robert Palmer video, "I didn't mean to blow you up") Gaddafi spent a bit over 30 minutes in a rambling defense of his past support of militant third world "freedom fighters". He then went on to issue a declaration the he hoped that "we shall not be prompted or obliged by any evil to go back or look backwards". He further added that he hoped that they did not have to return to the days where they bomb their cars or strap explosives to their bodies. Old addictions are hard to break one assumes.

While the European Union welcomed him back to their gathering for the first time since 1989, not everyone was overwhelmed with enthusiasm. Protestors from Amnesty International were offering a dissenting opinion during his appearance, reminding anyone who would listen, that Gaddafi still routinely jails and tortures those Libyan citizens who may not see the world with his grand vision.

With his return to the international stage after his laying low period, one wonders if the world is truly a safer place with his new found activism. One greets his conversion to the cause of world peace with just a bit of cynicism and suspicion. What do they say about the leopard? Something about how he rarely changes his spots?

This is one leopard the world should keep its eye on. And a very short leash probably wouldn't be a bad idea other.