Qaddafi's Condoleeza Rice Photo Album

Among the many bizarre items uncovered as Libyan rebels ransacked Muammar Gaddafi's Tripoli compound: an album filled with photos of former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The discovery was perhaps not surprising given Gaddafi's much-professed admiration of the former U.S. Secretary of State, MSNBC is noting. "I support my darling black African woman," Gaddafi told al-Jazeera television in 2007, according to The Guardian. "I admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the Arab leaders...Leezza, Leezza, Leezza. I love her very much. I admire her and I'm proud of her because she's a black woman of African origin."

In 2008, Rice historically became the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit Tripoli since 1953. She and Gaddafi are reported to have enjoyed a private dinner, during which a State Department reportindicates the Libyan leader also showered his visitor with an estimated $212,000 worth of gifts -- including a diamond ring in a wooden box, a lute and an accompanying DVD, and a locket with Qaddafi's own picture inside.


And, as it now comes out, he apparently assembled — or had a minion assemble — a photo album dedicated exclusively to Ms. Rice. Which just goes to show that even murderous dictators can have high-school crushes.