Killing Americans + Time = Cool
The best way to join the global elite is, first, to have pots of money. Second, be related to a mass-murderer of Americans.
That's sure the way it seems by looking at the example of Moammar Gadhafi's son, Saif el-Islam. He was a darling at Davos, a lauded alumnus of the London School of Economics, and a friend of the super-rich. From the WSJ (subscription required; but I've excerpted the relevant parts):
Saif el-Islam Gadhafi has long enjoyed a comfortable place among the world's business, philanthropic and political elite. He was named a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum in Davos and hobnobbed with Russian oligarchs, blueblood British bankers and esteemed academics.
They didn't slobber over him despite his position in the Libyan thugocracy, they did it because of it:
Seen as the presumptive heir of an oil-rich North African country, he became a fixture in London society. Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth's second son and Britain's special trade envoy, hosted him at Buckingham Palace in October 2007. Saif later repaid the prince's hospitality in Tripoli.
And it wasn't just the Europeans. American consultancy Monitor Group gleefully worked for his old man. From the Boston Globe:
It reads like Libyan government propaganda, extolling the importance of Moammar Khadafy, his theories on democracy, and his “core ideas on individual freedom.’’
But the 22-page proposal for a book on Khadafy was written by Monitor Group, a Cambridge-based consultant firm founded by Harvard professors. The management consulting firm received $250,000 a month from the Libyan government from 2006 to 2008 for a wide range of services, including writing the book proposal, bringing prominent academics to Libya to meet Khadafy “to enhance international appreciation of Libya’’ and trying to generate positive news coverage of the country.
As the crisis in Libya deepens, Monitor’s role in Libya has come under increasing scrutiny.
“The really nefarious aspect of this is that it reinforced in Khadafy’s mind that he truly was an international intellectual world figure, and that his ideas of democracy were to be taken seriously,’’ said Dirk Vandewalle, associate professor at Dartmouth College and author of “A History of Modern Libya.’’ “It reinforced his reluctance to come to terms with the reality around him, which was that Libya is in many ways an inconsequential country and his ideas are half-baked.’’
What on earth would possess the global elite -- much less a venture backed by Harvard professors -- to support such a regime? To enable its decadent and loathsome offspring? To flatter and court its murderous, vile leader? Remember: Gadhafi murdered 270 people in the Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. We know this. This is not in dispute.
Killing Americans, given enough time, is a forgivable offense for the global elites. Actually, being a certain kind of terrorist -- the anti-American kind -- makes you cool. They might even put you on a t-shirt.
I wonder if Osama bin Laden has a son? I wonder if he's applying to the London School of Economics? And I wonder if a Cambridge-based American consultancy will let bygones by bygones and help him with his homework?
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
The Gadhafis aren't wise, benevolent, or even civilized, but they played wise and benevolent on TV. Acting works. That's why Hugh Laurie is asked to offer medical advice in airports.
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
Osama bin Laden has a number of sons.
Feb '11
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
First, there is no downside to courting the Khadaffis of the world, only an upside. He pays well. He had the brother of an American President on his payroll.
Second, Khadaffi isn't the only murderous, vile villain playing the game. The House of Saud has half of K Street on its payroll.
Third, some portion of the elites have always gone for the bad boy on the block at a particular time. Castro, Che Guevara, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Lenin, among others have had their acolytes.
As for LSE, it would serve them right to have to go there. Just as long as they stay away from Kings College.
Aug '10
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
From what I've seen of the Lil' Gadhafi dissertation it's pretty funny as it's basically every cliche about "global governance," "emerging standards," "international community," etc, etc, in the liberal institutionalist book but being expressed by the heir apparent to a tyranny. It's as if Mark Steyn's joke about the UN being like the gallon of ice cream mixed with a pint of dog poop was made flesh and sent to dwell amongst us.
Edited on Mar 4, 2011 at 8:11amNov '10
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
I think it’s the vicarious allure of power that captures the minds of the so-called “elite." To be able to kill thousands and get away with it has to be the ultimate in power and if power is your thing it’s intoxicating, I guess. It’s remarkable how they can ignore blood-soaked reality in order to sustain their adoration of a Gadhaffi or a Castro. But drunks ignore reality all the time and mass murderer mania is an elite choice of addiction.
Chic might also have something to do with it. If you’re an elite, you really have to be chic, whatever chic happens to be at the time. Since the 1920’s it’s been chic to be close to bloody dictators and their regimes.
A old and very good friend who is a professor in Madison, Wisconsin explains his admiration for Fidel Castro in terms of how brilliantly Castro sticks it to the American government. I mean, that is just cool.
I’ve tried in vain to get him to read Arthur Koestler.
So power and chic. That’s it.
Dec '10
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
TeeJaw, I think you're on the trail toward the answer. Your professor friend feels weak and powerless against his own country's government because he can't simply control those policies by diktat but has to have his opinions mediated through democratic elections. So he identifies with the Strong Man who can do what he likes and defy the USA with apparent impunity. Your friend does not care what cost that defiance incurs, either for American citizens or for the Strong Man's oppressed subjects - those are just more eggs for the omelette of anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, anti-American resistance.
Dec '10
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
Don't any of these amazing minds in politics and economics and academia ever question how it is that the countries that claim to be the most egalitarian in the world are all repressive police states with hereditary monarchies? Wouldn't a basic question for Qaddafi's son be, "given your commitment to the democratic rights of the Libyan people, why do you assume that you will succeed your father rather than facing a multiparty election?"
Feb '11
Re: Killing Americans + Time = Cool
Read that article in the Journal as well, had a Mugato reaction "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills".
This seems like our therapeutic/self-esteem model of education being used for tyrants, if we tell him that he is "wise, benevolent, and even civilized" then maybe he will really become all those things. Or the more simple explanation that cash covers a multitude of sins.
Edited on Mar 4, 2011 at 9:39am