Libyan aftershocks

I have remarked before that Gordon Brown is a classic bully. He is very good at beating up and terrorizing those in weaker positions than himself but steers clear of anyone with the strength to stand up to him.

The Libyan negotiations, which are dripping out day by day, illustrate the downside of having a weak and bullying character in the office of PM. Qaddaffi has run rings around him and Brown apparently was afraid to raise the issue of compensation for IRA victims, according to the Sunday Times today. We should not be surprised by this revelation but it is a pretty poor show. Libya did not hold all the cards in these negotiations- they wanted trade and respectability with the latter probably being the bigger prize.

Any leader with any strength of character would have been able to deal on this issue.