If only world leaders had read her writings on Libya, they would have had a far better insight into that complex society. Ruth was a committed communist; she was not a revolutionary who simply used ideology to win an argument.
She looked at the facts; she analysed the evidence and came to conclusions that could be defended by the data and analysis, even when such conclusions were uncomfortable for some, especially those in leadership positions or high office. Ruth was an outstanding investigative reporter and mentored dozens of young journalists to look analytically into an issue before putting pen to paper.