I realize that Q or G met his demise a few days back. I generally do not blog on weekends--particularly in the fall there are much better things to do: football (American), hunting, shooting, camping (I prefer fall camping to summer). But as an academic in the realm of international relations and a student of violent conflict I feel obliged to make some comment.
Well, I hope the next government of Libya works out better for the people of Libya. I hope the next government of Libya works out better for the people of Lockerbie, Scotland as well as other places around the globe. I really do not know what to expect and do not believe that any other "experts" really know what to expect at this point. So, I will be pleasantly surprised if a government emerges that is more akin to my own philosophical leanings of limited governmental interference in the lives of citizens and allowance of maximum personal liberty. I will not be surprised if the government turns out to be Euro social democrat or U.S. big government-esque. I will be only mildly perturbed if the government turns out as bad as most governments in North Africa have been in the last two decades and continue to be post Arab Spring (Ok, maybe I am being a bit impatient here, but other than elections in Tunisia {which means what for that government}, have we seen any real movement toward better governance in North Africa or the Middle East?).
And of course, as I said I have personal consideration of what good governance looks like, and do not expect the people of Libya, Egypt (insert any country here_______________) to agree with me. Look, I am trying real hard not to be a Western elitist snob here, but I continue to agree with Winston Churchill about democracy (worst form of govt except all the others that have been tried) and Locke and Voltaire about the rights of man (Jefferson borrowed his ideas from them, so I can too!). So, I am willing to be convinced that some other forms of govt have merit in places where people have different ideas of social organization, civic virtue, and economic regulation than I currently possess.
So farewell Q or G. Bring on the next _______ government of Libya.
Well, I hope the next government of Libya works out better for the people of Libya. I hope the next government of Libya works out better for the people of Lockerbie, Scotland as well as other places around the globe. I really do not know what to expect and do not believe that any other "experts" really know what to expect at this point. So, I will be pleasantly surprised if a government emerges that is more akin to my own philosophical leanings of limited governmental interference in the lives of citizens and allowance of maximum personal liberty. I will not be surprised if the government turns out to be Euro social democrat or U.S. big government-esque. I will be only mildly perturbed if the government turns out as bad as most governments in North Africa have been in the last two decades and continue to be post Arab Spring (Ok, maybe I am being a bit impatient here, but other than elections in Tunisia {which means what for that government}, have we seen any real movement toward better governance in North Africa or the Middle East?).
And of course, as I said I have personal consideration of what good governance looks like, and do not expect the people of Libya, Egypt (insert any country here_______________) to agree with me. Look, I am trying real hard not to be a Western elitist snob here, but I continue to agree with Winston Churchill about democracy (worst form of govt except all the others that have been tried) and Locke and Voltaire about the rights of man (Jefferson borrowed his ideas from them, so I can too!). So, I am willing to be convinced that some other forms of govt have merit in places where people have different ideas of social organization, civic virtue, and economic regulation than I currently possess.
So farewell Q or G. Bring on the next _______ government of Libya.
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