Is UK Sincere in Being Surprised at Gaddafi's Use of British Weapons?

The UK government's apparent surprise at what Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has been doing with weapons supplied to him by the British since the anti-regime protests began in the country, has bewildered analysts.

The current unrests in the Middle East and North Africa and the following suppression of anti-government protesters with weapons and crowd control gadgets supplied by Britain has raised question as to why the UK has emerged as the main provider of lethal arms to dictatorial regimes in the war-torn countries.

British government has reportedly demonstrated its enthusiasm in promoting arms exports to depots in the volatile and mostly oil-rich regions. As the UK has extensively dealt with Saudi Arabia since 1980s, the Al-Yamamah deal is considered as the largest one in the region. Additionally, the country has also established long-term military ties with other authoritarian states, namely Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman.'

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