After numerous stalled offensives on both sides, each of which was heralded as the “beginning of the end,” one might be forgiven for being skeptical that the current civil war in Libya was ever going to end. Today, however, it seems the current rebel offensive is on the brink of success, with rebel forces claiming the center of Tripoli and capturing at least two of Moammar Gadhafi’s sons.
There has been some very publicized celebration of the apparent victory, and already some efforts to paint the rebel march into Tripoli as vindication of the months of NATO air strikes. British Deputy PM Nick Clegg, once an antiwar darling and now Libyan War enthusiast, is already insisting the post-Gadhafi occupation won’t be like the one in Iraq.
But with plenty of time to reflect on where Libya is going once the NATO-backed rebels have actually taken over, questions still remain. How many Gadhafi-loyalist troops remain in the capital? Are more en route? More importantly, where is Moammar Gadhafi?
Despite the capture of his sons, the aging dictator is still vowing to fight on, and NATO leadership’s demands that he step down probably aren’t going to change his mind. The rebels are warning that the regime still has blocs of power in the capital city, and exactly how close the fighting is to being “over,” or at least transitioning into whatever post-Gadhafi fight inevitably breaks out, remains to be seen.
I suppose now that Libya is almost done, NATO will now do Syria.
After two steps back in Tunisia and Egypt for Washington, Washington and its imperialist allies take a step forward in Libya, in the quest to put the genie back in the bottle. Unfortunately, the way events are unfolding in Libya are almost guaranteed to see a U.S. military base get built, regardless of what the Libyan people might think. Whatever independence the uprising against Ghadaffi might have had back in February disappeared the minute the imperialist bombs starting raining down on the country and the foundations for a Quisling regime in Libya were being laid. This is a major setback for the Arab Spring.
I would like to remind people that Kabul fell to US air power and the Northern Alliance in less time than this. Bagdad fell to US troops in less time than this. The truth is that nobody knows what will happen next. However, I doubt it will be all roses and sunshine.
I wish the best for the people of Libya, however I still don't believe Obama had the authority to take us to war without a declaration of war by Congress. Just because he got away with it doesn't make it right. We don't need dictators from the right or left running our country.
its gonna get ugly.
Obama is just as much a warmongering tool as was his predecessor.
At least he provided stability and we knew the score with him. Now that he is gone (going?) what happens next? It could be far worse. The devil you know….
the rebel rabble takes over
Something is fishy. No mention of how big the rebel groups are or how organized. Did they all come in on 50,000 Toyota trucks? None of it makes any sense. GROSSLY EXAGGERATED MAYBE?
Gaddafi must have made a deal to live in exile in a place where he could avoid extradition to any pro Western kangaroo court that would try him. Otherwise, the quick collapse of the government to such a pathetic rebel "army" doesn't make any sense.