Plato, Jefferson, Gandhi and Qadhaffi's Arrest Warrant

Moummar Qafhaffi officially became the subject of in International Criminal Court arrest warrant today. His son, Seid al-Islam was also included, as was the Qadhaffi regime’s justice minister. The three are accused of crimes against humanity during the period that began with the first marches of Libyans against the Qadhaffi regime in February 2011.  

The warrants were expected, but they are only the second issued against a sitting head of state, the other being the Sudanese president.

At the same time, a special court in Cambodia has begun the trials of the four remaining leaders of the Khmer Rouge, who are also accused of crimes against humanity and mass murder during the Khmer Rouge purges they are accused of initiating when they controlled Cambodia.

Thomas Jefferson once noted that “Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?”

The question seems extremely pertinent to Colonel Qadhaffi, known for his excesses of every kind - political, sexual, terrorist. He clearly did not and cannot control himself in the manner that would be required for him to be tolerated, and even welcomed, into the world’s normal society. His excesses in defending his current position as leader of the Libyans has led to the destruction of at least one city, Misrata, the use of paid mercenaries to inflict death and terrorism against his own citizens, the use of rape as a means to subdue rebellious citizens, and the bombing of civilians around Benghazi, the freedom fighters’ capital in the east of Libya.

Governing is a very difficult undertaking. It requires impartiality, a well-developed sense of justice, and a profound understanding of human nature. Qadhaffi has proven that he lacks all of these qualities.

Plato said that “For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.” Qadhaffi fails the test, as do many of today’s leaders. But, if many leaders have not conquered themselves, at least they do not inflict harm and desolation on their citizens, while Qadhaffi fails utterly because of his constant use of his position of power, wrested instead of won by an honest popular election, to subdue his people and mistreat them as his possessions rather than as human beings.

But, to hold trials and convict Qadhaffi, the Khmer Rouge and the President of Sudan is only the first step.

We must also try to live in peace with each other. Try, as Mahatma Gandhi put it, “…not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”