The Qadhafi public-relations blitz

So let's be clear about what the Qadhafis are doing: They're allowing Human Rights Watch to hold a press conference. That's newsworthy -- it has never happened before -- but it doesn't mean the Qadhafi regime plans to actually address its human rights abuses. (HRW has held press conferences in Cairo before, and Hosni Mubarak hasn't exactly rushed to end torture and free political prisoners.)

Today's announcement continues a weeks-long PR push by the Libyan regime. The state-run Qadhafi Foundation published a report earlier this week documenting a number of human rights abuses committed by the regime. And last month, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi -- Muammar's son and likely successor -- invited CNN to Tripoli to record a (fawning) story about Libya's efforts at reconciliation with Islamists.

All of this is notable and, indeed, commendable. But let's not lose sight of the fact that Libya is still run by a repressive, authoritarian regime, which is currently laying the groundwork for an undemocratic handover of power from Qadhafi the father to Qadhafi the son.