Saif Qaddafi loves Democracy...
February 28, 2011 9:53 AM Subscribe
Don't worry, writing a thesis [pdf] on the virtues of civil society and democratization won't disqualify you from threatening your own people with genocide and murder.
Esp. considering Gaddafi's son didn't write all of it anyway, it seems.
Esp. considering Gaddafi's son didn't write all of it anyway, it seems.
He's not JUST a megalomaniac murderer... he's a HYPOCRITE!
posted by LogicalDash at 10:40 AM on February 28, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by LogicalDash at 10:40 AM on February 28, 2011 [4 favorites]
He was also the chairman (maybe still is?) of the UN's human rights commission. One of many legitimate reasons lots of people don't trust or activily oppose the UN.
posted by bartonlong at 10:51 AM on February 28, 2011
posted by bartonlong at 10:51 AM on February 28, 2011
The professor in the Guardian article makes it sound as though Saif really did believe in liberal democracy for a while. It's sad, but not altogether surprising, to think that he abandoned his ideals out of loyalty to his family.
posted by KGMoney at 10:56 AM on February 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by KGMoney at 10:56 AM on February 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
The professor in the Guardian article makes it sound as though Saif really did believe in liberal democracy for a while
I don't doubt it. It's unfortunately all too common that peoples' beliefs apply more to others than to themselves. The old "but it's OK when I do it" trick.
posted by Hoopo at 11:11 AM on February 28, 2011
I don't doubt it. It's unfortunately all too common that peoples' beliefs apply more to others than to themselves. The old "but it's OK when I do it" trick.
posted by Hoopo at 11:11 AM on February 28, 2011
Christianne Amanpour interviews Saif al Islam Gaddafi, asks him where things went wrong.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 11:17 AM on February 28, 2011
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 11:17 AM on February 28, 2011
Drawing heavily on the work of American philosopher John Rawls, who formulated a theory of justice and fairness, the work is chock full of pro-democracy sentiment.
So, if he didn't know if he was going to be the dictator's son or a protester in the streets, he would find this regime just? Or he just thought that sounded like the sort of thing he should write to placate Westerners.
posted by Tashtego at 11:19 AM on February 28, 2011
So, if he didn't know if he was going to be the dictator's son or a protester in the streets, he would find this regime just? Or he just thought that sounded like the sort of thing he should write to placate Westerners.
posted by Tashtego at 11:19 AM on February 28, 2011
He was also the chairman (maybe still is?) of the UN's human rights commission. One of many legitimate reasons lots of people don't trust or activily oppose the UN.
No, no he wasn't. First of all, though he has been a media spokesman on behalf of his father's regime, he has never held any official diplomatic post that I can find, let alone as their ambassador to the UN. Second, the country of Libya, as a member of the UN, was given a term as a member of the former UN Human Rights Commission, which it chaired from 2003-2004, but the chairmanship rotates annually. Partly because of this, and the succeeding chairmanship by Sudan, as part of a general disappointment in the functioning of the body, the UN reformed the commission into the Human Rights Council in 2006. This version does have the capability to reject membership, and Belarus was not permitted to join.
Nice of you to keep up with things, though.
posted by dhartung at 11:44 AM on February 28, 2011 [10 favorites]
No, no he wasn't. First of all, though he has been a media spokesman on behalf of his father's regime, he has never held any official diplomatic post that I can find, let alone as their ambassador to the UN. Second, the country of Libya, as a member of the UN, was given a term as a member of the former UN Human Rights Commission, which it chaired from 2003-2004, but the chairmanship rotates annually. Partly because of this, and the succeeding chairmanship by Sudan, as part of a general disappointment in the functioning of the body, the UN reformed the commission into the Human Rights Council in 2006. This version does have the capability to reject membership, and Belarus was not permitted to join.
Nice of you to keep up with things, though.
posted by dhartung at 11:44 AM on February 28, 2011 [10 favorites]
I love that Amapour interview if only because it hits on Qaddafi's footballer son who would jump ship in a moment if he thought he could get away with it. Not exactly tyrant material, but just felt that he's like any other rich heir to a powerful house, and is not looking forward to everything crashing down.
"Is it hard to be Colonel Qaddafi's son?"
"I have to deal with it."
posted by Lord Chancellor at 11:45 AM on February 28, 2011
"Is it hard to be Colonel Qaddafi's son?"
"I have to deal with it."
posted by Lord Chancellor at 11:45 AM on February 28, 2011
bbc Story
So it wasn't his son and as such off topic, point about Libya being on human rights council (as chairman) still valid.
posted by bartonlong at 10:02 AM on March 1, 2011
So it wasn't his son and as such off topic, point about Libya being on human rights council (as chairman) still valid.
posted by bartonlong at 10:02 AM on March 1, 2011
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posted by PlusDistance at 10:11 AM on February 28, 2011 [4 favorites]