And a half century of "special relationships" -- or, more precisely, addictive codependencies -- have only produced Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Libya's Muammar al-Gaddafi, Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and, in the end, September 11, Osama bin Laden's murderous response to the permanent deployment of American troops in the oil-rich Saudi holy land.

CNN: The price of our oil addiction

The son of deposed Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam, has briefly appeared in court to face criminal charges and has been appointed two local lawyers.

BBC: Lawyers appointed for Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

In the centre of Misrata stands the famous sculpture of a giant fist, crushing an American fighter jet, that once adorned Muammar Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli.

BBC: Muammar Gaddafi buried: End of gruesome show

Three other North African leaders - Tunisia's Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Egypt's Hosni Mubarak and Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi - have been overthrown following uprisings against their rule.

BBC: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (archive shot)

Venezuela now counts among its allies Belarus, China, Iran and Russia, as well as Syria's Bashar al-Assad, and previously Libya under Muammar Gaddafi.

BBC: Profile: Nicolas Maduro

Arab leaders as diverse as Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal have decried South Sudan's independence.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Sudanese crossroads

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, has appeared before a court in Libya, the public prosecutor's office has said.

BBC: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appears in Libya court

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, will go on trial in Libya in September, a Libyan prosecution spokesman has said.

BBC: Libya 'sets September trial' for Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

Nato air strikes have hit eight warships belonging to Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces in co-ordinated raids on Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte.

BBC: Libya: Nato strikes hit eight Gaddafi warships in ports