BEIRUT: Barack Obama's open-handed approach to the Middle East has won him praise from some leaders viewed by previous US presidents as deadly enemies.

"Obama is a flicker of hope amid the imperialist darkness," Muammar Gaddafi told a rally of his supporters last week.

The Libyan leader, once a thorn in America's side, was dubbed a "mad dog" by former President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. He has mended ties with Washington since 2003.