Local and international politics intertwined with tribal culture have produced a cocktail of high-level corruption, mistrust and right down animosity between those on whom the nation was counting for salvation. A nation whose people had suffered tremendous hardship at the hands of one of the world’s longest serving and most brutal dictators, Moamer Kaddafi. He ruled Libya for forty-two years with an iron fist and showed no mercy to his opponents or anyone who dared challenge his rule or speak ill of him.
Since the revolution in February 2011, which saw NATO’s unprecedented intervention, the country has descended into chaos. With different countries backing different individuals, groups and political parties that were thought to serve their interests, they set them against one another. Initially, Qatar and Turkey backed those known for their religious ideology, while Egypt and the Golf States backed groups calling for civil society. This latter group has been accused by the former of being ‘secular’. A word which in Arabic is considered synonymous with infidel. In Europe, Italy and France have backed rival factions, and of late the two countries have been more open in supporting them. More recently the situation has become more fluid and complicated, as some individuals and groups changed sides and new alliances have formed.
Since the revolution in February 2011, which saw NATO’s unprecedented intervention, the country has descended into chaos. With different countries backing different individuals, groups and political parties that were thought to serve their interests, they set them against one another. Initially, Qatar and Turkey backed those known for their religious ideology, while Egypt and the Golf States backed groups calling for civil society. This latter group has been accused by the former of being ‘secular’. A word which in Arabic is considered synonymous with infidel. In Europe, Italy and France have backed rival factions, and of late the two countries have been more open in supporting them. More recently the situation has become more fluid and complicated, as some individuals and groups changed sides and new alliances have formed.
