South Africa has long been cozy with recently deposed Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi, who provided support to the ANC during the anti-apartheid struggle. So when Libyan rebels took up arms to drive Qaddafi from power, the South African government was in a bit of a pickle. Despite having using violent methods to defeat apartheid, the South African government pointedly said that there was "no justification in the use of violence to solve global challenges, whether social, political or economic." Despite insisting on diplomacy as the key to stopping Libya's civil war, South Africa signed on to U.N. Resolution 1970, referring Libya to the International Criminal Court, and Resolution 1973, which allowed for "all necessary methods" to protect Libyan citizens. Yet Zuma complained about NATO's bombing campaign and unsuccessfully attempted to use the African Union (AU) to mediate the crisis. South Africa only recognized the National Transitional Council as the legitimate government of Libya on Sept. 20, nearly a month after rebel fighters captured Tripoli.

Above, Zuma shakes hands with Qaddafi after arriving in Libya on April 10. Qaddafi had accepted an AU peace plan to end the conflict, which was rejected by the rebels.

Ntswe Mokoena/AFP/Getty Images

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