From Stephen Mangan, the AP: The Gaddafi government carried out a lobbying operation to try to stop NATO’s bombardment of Libya, Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported on Friday, citing secret documents seen by the newspaper.
The newspaper said the documents in Tripoli showed Libya’s rulers believed NATO forces were likely to launch a full-scale invasion in "either late September or October."
It said the documents also showed that Tripoli approached key international opinion formers in the United States, including U.S. President Barack Obama. . . .
It said Democratic congressman Dennis Kucinich, a Democratic congressman who voted against NATO military action in Libya, declined a Libyan approach to visit as part of a "peace mission. . . ."
"I had several requests to go to Libya. I made it clear I could not negotiate on behalf of the administration. I said I was speaking as a member of Congress involved in the issue and willing to listen to what they had to say. But given that Libya was under attack, it did not seem a promising place to hold meetings." (photo: John Shinkle/POLITICO)