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11-03-09 Libya frustrated with U.S. over weapons program deal

When Libya gave up its nuclear and chemical weapons programs in late 2003,President George W. Bush pointed to the decision as a victory in Washington's so-called war on terror and as a potential model for pressing Iran and North Korea to give up their weapons programs,too.But now Libyan officials say they are dissatisfied with the way the deal worked out,insisting that the United States has done too little to reward Libya's concessions.Officials here say they believe that Libya's limited payoff undermines the credibility of the United States as it presses other nations to abandon weapons programs.Libya's discontent suggests the potential hurdles for the administration of President Barack Obama as it tries to engage with nations that the United States has shunned,like Iran and Syria,as part of a broader strategy reassessment in the Middle East.While Libya says it does not plan to restart the weapons programs,its disaffection signals the need to manage expectations and reveals the unexpected challenges of developing relations with the former pariah state,which had been isolated for decades and remains run by an eccentric,enigmatic strongman,Muammar el-Qaddafi