The two men with the strongest moral fiber of our time, George Bush and Tony Blair, have done it again. They have convinced Libya, sponsor of terrorism and long-time builder of weapons of mass destruction, to give up her nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs.

Blair stated that Libya’s leader, the great Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, approached U.S. and British officials 9 months ago to discuss his country’s WMD programs. The three countries entered into negotiations, during which time British and U.S. investigators visited Libya, finding evidence of production and/or research for development of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Libyan cooperation with China and North Korea on development of long-range missiles (WMD delivery systems) was also discovered.

So why the Libyan change of heart? Col. Gaddafi’s son today claimed that the U.S./British invasion of Iraq had nothing to do with Libya’s decision. Nonsense. Arab/Muslim dictators have been suffering from fear-inspired diarrhea ever since the toppling of Saddam’s brutal regime. All of them have to be thinking, “Are we next?” Good for Bush and Blair!

We are now thankfully witnessing the long-overdue redrawing of the political map of the Middle East. The courageous stab at the heart of Middle Eastern tyranny wrought by the Bush/Blair team can only be the main reason for Gaddafi’s sudden epiphany. That, and the economic sanctions Libya has been under.

Libya accepted responsibility this summer for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. This savage and cowardly act killed 259 people on the airliner and 11 on the ground. Libya also agreed to compensate the victims and the U.N. in turn lifted economic sanctions. The U.S. is keeping its own sanctions in place. In President Bush’s words:

Because Libya has a troubled history with America and Britain, we'll be vigilant in assuring its government lives up to all its responsibilities.

I agree. I trust Gaddafi as much as I trust Saddam (e.g., not at all). Gaddafi has only proved he’s not as stupid as Saddam was.

Some claim that Libya’s change of policy towards WMD will put more pressure on Israel to reveal and renounce her own strategic weapons. I doubt it. Israel cannot give up her WMD. She must have deterrents against her corrupt and dictatorial neighbors. Israel is a major world power, just as Britain and the U.S. Her deterrents are governed by her people and the rule of law – completely unlike her neighbors.

Bush and Blair should be applauded for their great efforts in bringing stability to one of worst and most dangerous regions of Earth: The Middle East (except for Israel). The times are changing for the better. Up next: Iran and Syria.