Qaddafi Son Wants Father To Step Down So He Can Lead Constitutional Democracy

Seif el-Islam, the son of Muammar Qaddafi, proposes that his father relinquish power so he can lead Libya for a short time as part of a transition to a constitutional democracy.

Speculation has swirled about a possible proposal from the Qaddafi camp since Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi’s top aide, Mohamed Ismail, traveled to London for undisclosed talks with the British several days ago. The diplomat’s account is the first insight into the content of those talks and the latest sign that the Qaddafi government may be feeling the pressure from two weeks of allied airstrikes that have severely diminished the advantage in equipment of the Qaddafi militias.

The London talks coincided with the defection of one of Colonel Qaddafi’s closest confidants, the foreign minister and former intelligence chief Moussa Koussa, followed closely by the exit to Egypt of another former foreign minister, Ali Abdussalam el-Treki.

Whether Qaddafi’s son can be the spark for reform is in doubt.

During the revolt…Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi’s position has been indistinguishable from his father, vowing swift retribution against the rebels and potentially tarnishing his credibility as a voice of reform. He has argued that the early and healthy peaceful movement for political opening was quickly co-opted by foreign terrorists determined to bring down the Libyan government.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.