An Open Letter to Mssr Qaddafi

Dear Mssr Qaddafi,

I don't understand what you've been thinking these past couple weeks. You are going to lose. It's inevitable. You are going to go down in textbooks as a murderer. Or be tried in international courts for heinous crimes against humanity. Why condemn yourself to such a fate? You have seen the protests in your neighboring countries just swell in the face of government crackdowns; what makes you think that those in your country will be any different?

This interview with the BBC/ABC certainly was amusing, but do you even realize that everyone is laughing at you? Do you believe the things you say? Have you surrounded yourself with so many yes-men that you really think you are still serving your country well? That people like you? Or are you a straight-up liar?

What really scares me is that you seem to think that you can tell the international community that all your people love you, that there are no protests, and that the only people against you are Al-Qaeda members, and you actually expect us to believe it! Do you realize that this is the 21st century? Do you realize that half of your constituents have facebook profiles and phones that can record videos? Do you think that by simply denying the protesters' complaints and killing them they will go away? Because they won't. When you began your presidency, that might have been an option, but it isn't any longer. It isn't even a viable intimidation technique any longer. People will oust you. You're in trouble. I hope you realize this sooner rather than later - it's the only option that will avoid unnecessary killings and international shame.

Last week President Obama declared that the US would be willing to intervene in Libyan affairs if the crisis worsened. Mssr Qaddafi, this is big. Nobody likes a nation-builder. They're horribly unpopular. If a man who championed himself as the anti-nation builder is saying he'll intervene in your country if things worsen, you should know that you've done something terribly wrong.

So, what should you do? Well, you could flee. Oddly enough, that's probably your most dignified option. Sticking around, even on the off-chance that you might try instituting some reforms (which you won't) is no longer an option. You really might be killed if you stay much longer. And you won't die a martyr. History will view you as a tyrant who oppressed your North African nation. So seriously, just get out. You probably won't leave, which is dumb of you, but I hope you realize what you are condemning yourself and your country to by staying.

Cheers,
Carl