process of transition to democratic rule with the Transitional Governing Council.  

i watched a fascinating Doha Debate on BBC yesterday, filmed in Cairo, in which they discussed exactly this.

the rub is who will be on this Transitional Governing Council? elected or appointed? who will choose the choosers?

the pro's wanted to wait for elections until political parties could build platforms and engage with the electorate in campaigns etc. their second point was that the muslim brotherhood is best positioned with early elections, which would be less fair.

the con's want elections right away, because they felt the longer the military is left in power, the less likely it will be to relax its grip.

both sides argue convincingly, the end vote was to wait for elections, and trust that the security forces/army will stay on the side of the people that long to permit a total re-write of the constitution
(both sides want this, no amendments, just trash it and restart from scratch).

considering the military refusing hosni's orders was pivotal in the revolution, they have some justification for this. the best argument con was that elections with tanks in the streets were less democratic, and that elections done sooner would get the military back to its real work, defending the country, not policing its own people.

the pro's want to wait longer till democratic institutions can be constructed, parties given time to offer mature policy ideas, clearer ideologies etc.

they point to Tunisia as an example of a successful Transitional Governing Council, so it can be done...

kudos to a terrific debate, all in english!!

the unifying power of english-as-global-lingua-franca was spectacularly obvious, the speakers and questions from the audience were astonishingly articulate and profound. it was a privilege to have a good look into the nascent sociopolitics at such a poignantly pivotal history plot point.

60 years of dictatorship, and now the freedom to redesign their society from the inside out. they know how important -and how hard- it is to get it right, and they care so passionately. one of the most riveting hours of television i have ever seen.

it also hit home how we need a global constitution, a blueprint that will template for any country, and all these brave people ripping off their shackles will probably author some new factors that can learn from the best the west have evolved, and re-volve them to greater affirmations of decency and wise global governance.

free libya! free the world!


'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty