Monday 21 February 2011

Look out for this one

If you get an e-mail like this, it's probably genuine.

Dear Western benefactor,
my name is Muammar Ghadaffi/Hosni Mubarak/the King of Bahrain and I am sitting on a major pile of bullion thanks to some wise investments in British defence exports, Swiss Banks and London property. I have now decided to have a short holiday in Europe/Saudi Arabia and would like to offer the opportunity to share in my good fortune. If you would like to look after my pension fund for a short period, send me your account details and may Allah (peace be upon him) bless you for your kindness. I will deposit several billions of my oil money in your account for safekeeping.

h/t Mark

2 comments:

Ewarwoowar said...

Vole, do you really think Gaddafi is going to go?

Would be pretty incredible if he did, bearing in mind what a tyrant he is.

The Plashing Vole said...

I think he might. Once you've got the navy shelling your own capital, you're in serious trouble. (As a historical example: the British Navy bombarding Dublin - once seen as the Empire's second city - in 1916).

I suspect that Gaddafi himself is bitter and tired, but relatively easy to push out. It's the next generation he's brought up who will cling on to the power and wealth who will respond violently. What can Gadaffi's son do without his father's death squads to back him up? Work in a bank? There's no room for an entire class of torturers, corrupt businessmen etc. in a revolutionary state, although it didn't take long for them to appear in the new Russia.