Libyan Rebels Seemingly Close to Victory

[Cailst]

Now, most of the Libyan capital of Tripoli is under Libyan rebel control after forces from the Nafusa Mountains and Misrata have closed in on it while the forces inside the city rose up claiming most of it. Several of Gaddafi's sons have been captured while he is no where to be seen. Some speculation suggests he may still be in Tripoli, or he may have fled to Algeria, or the Libyan towns of Sabha or Sirte which are still under regime control.

Now that the regime is seemingly over, any thoughts on it? And any thoughts on NATO involvement? Or how the post Gaddafi Libya will unfold and how it will affect the rest of the region?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...a-still-fluid/2011/08/22/gIQAcVeBXJ_blog.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/22/501364/main20095763.shtml

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-...ibya-rebels-united-by-hatred-of-dictator.html

 

[Insanity]

Honestly, I'm hoping the Libyans can actually restore order and calm things down properly. Right now, it seems like they're managing but... How long until NATO forces intercede with the excuse of providing 'aid'? Unless they go and purge the last of the regime-held towns, NATO should be able to pull out all involvement and just watch.

I'm hoping Gaddafi gets a public execution though, since it'd make a good warning to other dictators in the Mid-East and Africa. That or make those dictators tighten down more, which'd likely result in even more violent regime-changes. here's to hoping Gaddafi gets turned over soon. Don't feel like seeing another manhunt like we had with Bin Laden.

 

[Honorable]

I'm actually glad our ground forces aren't there right now. Actually we've had a CSG and some other people on standby on the coast, but that's all from me. I think it's going to turn into another Iran-Iraq affair, we'll be fighting them in a couple of years anyways.

 

[Matt]

Be interesting to see what the rebels do.

Will it be a democracy or will it be another mental Islamic country?

 

[Random Hero]

Probably another mental Islamic country.

But for now, good work rebels.

 

[Andreus Makaryk]

I wish the best for Libya and its people. I'm glad Gaddafi is out of power. Off to the Hague with him! Unless Libyans hang him first.

One thing of note is that rebels have already had to govern half the country for the last six months. So hopefully they've gained some experience they can use to transition the country into some form of a reasonable government that can pursue the interests of its people rather than being subservient to outside powers. By "reasonable government," I'm thinking/hoping something that resembles Turkey. I doubt the culture would fit with something more liberal, such as Western Europe, but I doubt Libyans want to continue to be oppressed after four decades of it, either. I think it's a foregone conclusion where the oil is going at this point, but hopefully the new government is strong enough to at least get a fair price for it.

I don't think that is experience that mental Islamic countries like Iran had the chance to get. The Iranian Revolution took more than a year, but I don't think it actually took and held territory to govern before the government it sought to replace fell. Granted, civil wars can be very destructive to society, but that might be one critical advantage Libya has if its people play their cards right.