London School of Economics And Political Science - Sir Howard Davies and Muammar Gaddafi - Libya - Similar Schemes In Other Countries?

Abel Danger has decided to blog this recent news concerning the resignation of Sir Howard Davies, Director of the London School of Economics (LSE), because of this school's close links to the Libyan regime under Muammar Gaddafi. In Hawks Cafe and Captain Sherlock discussions over the years, the London School of Economics and Political Science located in London, England, has been analyzed repeatedly because of this school's specialization in the social sciences. The implications here are that the London School of Economics and Political Science trained hundreds of Libyans to become elite leaders in that country. Considering the recent rapid political deterioration presently going on in Libya (there have been reports of up to 6,000 Libyan deaths as of March 3rd), this huge political embarrassment will have far reaching effects on the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The London School of Economics and Political Science was founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidney Webb, Beatrice Webb and George Bernard Shaw, LSE joined the University of London in 1900 and degrees were issued to its students from 1902 onwards. Despite its name, LSE conducts teaching and research across the entire range of the social sciences, including accounting and finance, anthropology, economics, geography, history, international relations, law, media and communications, philosophy, politics, psychology, social policy and sociology.

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Source: guardian.co.uk

LSE head quits over Gaddafi scandal

London School of Economics director Howard Davies resigns after fresh allegations over institution's links to Libyan regime
Jeevan Vasagar and Rajeev Syal
Thursday 3 March 2011

Howard Davies has resigned as director of the London School of Economics. Photograph: Eamonn Mccabe for the Guardian

A deepening row over the London School of Economics and its dealings with the Gaddafi regime has claimed the career of the university's director.

Sir Howard Davies resigned over fresh revelations that the institution had been involved in a deal to train hundreds of young Libyans to become part of the country's future elite.

He said "the short point is that I am responsible for the School's reputation, and that has suffered", adding he had advised that it was reasonable to accept money from Libya and that "that has turned out to be a mistake".

The LSE said in a statement it had accepted Davies' resignation with great regret and that it had set up an independent external inquiry into the school's relationship with Libya and one of Muammar Gaddafi's sons, Saif al-Islam, to be conducted by the former lord chief justice Lord Woolf.

Davies admitted at the start of this week that he felt embarrassed about the university's ties with the dictator's family.

A leaked US diplomatic cable indicates that the British government was also party to the deal to bring 400 Libyans to Britain for leadership training. The cable, published by WikiLeaks, suggests that other UK universities were involved in similar schemes, though there is no independent confirmation of this.

The university's reputation has taken a battering over links with the Libyan regime, which include a donation of £1.5m from a charitable foundation run by Saif, who studied at the LSE. On Tuesday, the LSE agreed to put £300,000, equivalent to the cash it has received from the foundation, into a scholarship for north African students.