The Rule of Libya's Colonel Gaddafi

Arabs Together
During his first years in power, Gaddafi worked to break down the borders that, in his words, were created by "the colonial powers to partition the single Arab people." He played a key role in the formation of the Federation of Arab Republics, comprising Libya, Egypt and Syria. In the photo above, the leaders of the three nations — Egypt's Anwar Sadat, Gaddafi and Syrian President Hafez Assad — join hands at a ceremony marking the signing of the pact that declared the alliance. The federation would prove to have few practical benefits, and relations among the member nations would deteriorate.

• Lockerbie Bomber's Release Casts a Shadow over Gaddafi Celebration