PBOM is live at the London School of Economics for a speech by Saif al-Islam al-Ghaddafi (Gaddafi, Qaddafi, Khadafi...), the son of the Brother of the Revolution, Colonel Muammar al-Ghaddafi. Saif is Chairman of the Orwellian Ghaddafi International Foundation for Charity and Development. See our previous posts on Gaddafi here.

8:09 - Speech is done. When Saif stood up (to leave) the front two rows (of Arab men in suits) stood up immediately in unison. Kinda creepy.

8:06 - He answered the hardball question (see below) by saying that what I am saying about participatory democracy is not new, this is all in the green book, so there is no dispute on this between me and my father. He says the difference is that he wants to do it more efficiently. On a question about the relations between Libya and its neighbors-- one great line: We don't trust them. On women in Libya, he says they are already too powerful (jokingly).

7:59 - Great question from the crowd: ""Forget brain drain, no Libyan I know wants to go back. So called democracies can be easily manipulated by those in power. How can you explain that his won't happen in Libya?" Look like time will run out before he has to answer, he's been busy rambling about the other softballs about tourism.

7:48 - Says don't listen to rumors, all Libyans want to go forward, there is no "old guard", bureaucrats are all pro reform. It "is not like Iran." So then what are we waiting for? Now he's answering a question about why hasn't he mentioned his father in his speech, Colonel Ghadaffi. He says we have facts in Libya, we are Arabs, Muslims, and barbarians (apparently Saif made a bad translation in his head of "Berber"), and that Colonel Ghaddafi is not only his father, but also the Father of the Nation, and nothing can happen without him. Spontaneous applause in the theater. Supporters have been placed very cleverly, because this not the first time that this has happened. The applause isn't confined to the front row, and people who don't look Libyan at all are applauding.

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7:45 - Says one of the problems with instituting democracy is because political parties have been banned for 50 years, no civil society in Libya. If they had democracy now there would be 100 tribal parties. Says that free media has to start now. Made fun of the reasons why no free media is allowed "media is the bridge for the colonialists," and "civil society is a tool of the CIA."

7:39 - In response to a question about al-Magrahi (the man accused of being behind the Lockerbie bombing), he says there are two facts: he is in Libya, and he is sick.

7:33 - In answering a question about the Green book, Saif says that the English translation is very bad, and its the guide but it's not a "bible." Many problems in Libya is because of bad interpretations of the Green book. Says he would like to be "crown prince" but says this would be backward, what was the point of the Revolution if it was to overthrow one family to put another into rule? This is a actually a good point about the hollowness of the Libyan regime, and pretty much every "revolution" in the Arab world since the Europeans left.

Saif says he is working with Hamas and Fatah to help them "face Israel." Saying its a mistake for the Palestinians to fight each other. Nothing new here.

7:31 - "Libyan businessman" "asks" a "question" proclaiming that Ghaddafi should not rule for 40 years, but for 400 hundred years. Wants to know when will Saif be declared "crown prince." Someone is doing major ass-kissing. Maybe he thinks this will get him a gov't contract. In reality, he's just making Ghaddafi look bad.

7:29 - Speech is done- will he take Q and A's? Prof. Held notes that Ghaddafi got a very healthy applause, did he bring his own supporters?

7:22 - Is talking about how Libya is trying to develop a new synthesis of democracy and starting all these pilot programs. Last time I checked, we understand how democracies work. You have competitive elections, peaceful transfers of power, and representatives who vote on legislation that can be voted out. You write a constitution, and you allow a free press. It's not that complicated. You use the army to back the constitution, not to back yourself. You stop abducting foreign medical workers and shooting down civilian aircraft. The complicated part is how to keep to do all these things while keeping the Ghaddafis in power.

7:16 - Just said that Libya opened up its first helicopter factory. Put me on the waiting list! Funny, I thought Libya was known for its anti-aircraft industry.

7:14 - Says he is against progressive taxes, instead is for flat taxes, they changed the law to 15% flat tax. Tariffs of 4% across the board. Flat taxes make more sense in countries without a functional bureaucracy--other taxes are too complicated--but somehow I bet that most people don't pay taxes in Libya.

7:10 - Saif is talking about how he created a fund to give money to poor families in Libya. Sounds like a slush fund to me. How is it possible to have a charity when your family controls the economy of a state? Especially a state with the largest oil reserves in Africa. He says the key is P2P-- public to private.

7:08 - Says he likes the literature on social liberalism from 19th century England. Need to avoid dogma of socialism while not submitting society to the brutality of unchecked capitalism.

7:04 - Saif is explaining that Libya emulates ancient Greece in its "direct democracy." Now, he just said this is in form, but in practice we have a managed society, with institutions, and the leadership, interfering. 

7:01 - Saif just said, I quote, "Libya is...in theory...the most democratic state in the world." Please comment. Prize for the funniest comeback.

6:59 - Now seems to be impugning US democracy for low voter turnout and first-past-the-post voting system (winner takes all). There is a collective murmur in the crowd.

6:54 - No history of civic culture in Libya, became independent in 1952. King came to power with support of tribes and legitimacy of a Sufist order. This makes it harder to make Libya a democracy, along with geopolitics. Talking about Arabs overspending on security, co-option of civil society, support of foreigners for autocrats, and the Israeli-Palestine conflict. How has the Israeli-Palestinian conflict inhibited Libyan democracy? C'mon. From this speech, you wouldn't know that Saif is the son of a dictator. It's the classic story that somehow the Arab world has no agency, everything is external. But when you are about to inherit a throne- you kind of do have agency.

6:51 - Saif explains that he wants to outline the path for Libya to become a participatory democracy, and move to a "real" economy. He says he knows people will be skeptical. He pronounces that Islam is not incompatible with democracy. The major problem is the legacy of colonialism (what a shocker!). 

6:49 - Saif seems nervous, and is mostly reading his speech with his head down. There is a long way to go before he is ready to fill his father's shoes.

6:46 - Professor David Held is introducing Saif to the audience. In mentioning what the Foundation does, Prof. Held said it promotes development, charity, and.....gasp...human rights.

6:25 - Security is thick on Houghton Street, as riot police block protestors from the site of the speech. Should be an interesting evening.