Government System and Recent Crisis: Libya and United States

Introduction

The term protest movement conjures for many images of street demonstrations of previous eras. The year 2011, however, saw the resurgence of mass protest movements on an international scale, as North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the U.S. experienced large-scale protests. Some of those movements' toppled governments or, as in Syria, led to bloodshed as the government resorted to military force to remain in power. Others spurred heated political debates, rattling establishment politics (Encyclopedia of the Nations Libya, 2012). 

Government System of Libya and Recent Protests

The fighting in Libya came in the wake of unrest in its neighbors, Tunisia and Egypt, which had led to the ouster of autocratic leaders in those countries, as well as protests across North Africa and the Middle East (Lindsay , 2011). However, the situation in Libya, where Qaddafi, who had ruled since 1969, appeared determined to cling to power, was proving to be more protracted and bloody than the other uprisings. While it was difficult to get accurate casualty reports, it was estimated that thousands of people had died in the Libyan unrest since it began in mid-February. The statement came amidst a bloody stalemate between Qaddafi loyalists and rebels who opposed his 41-year rule. Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammer el-Qaddafi and opponents of his regime February 25-March 3 continued to battle for control of the country. Qaddafi loyalists secured control of most of Tripoli, the capital, while regime opponents appeared to be in firm control of Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city, about 600 miles (1,000 km) east of Tripoli, and cities and towns to Benghazi's east (Mirkinson, 2011).

The rebels, based in the eastern city of Benghazi had been fighting to oust longtime Libyan leader Muammer el-Qaddafi since February. A North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) air campaign in Libya that had been mandated by the United Nations Security Council to protect civilians from Qaddafi's forces was providing military support to the rebels.  Libyan rebel forces in Misurata April 23 celebrated as Qaddafi's forces abandoned their positions inside most of the city. The move came after the Libyan government the previous day had said it would withdraw forces from Misurata so that tribal leaders in the area could negotiate a resolution to the fighting (Gabbatt, 2011). However, the lull was short-lived, as Qaddafi's forces April 24 once again began shelling Misurata, which was the country's third-largest city and the only city the rebels controlled in western Libya.

The provisional leaders of Libya - NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil and NTC executive board chairman Mahmoud Jibril, the de facto prime minister - October 3 said they would step down and make way for a new interim government after the NTC-backed militias won control of Sirte. Also, many Libyans did not want the new government to include people who had served in Qaddafi's government, such as Jalil, who had been Qaddafi's justice minister.

Qaddafi's death and the capture of Sirte appeared to bring to a close a nine-month civil war that had killed as many as 30,000 people, according to the NTC, and heavily damaged the country's infrastructure. While Libyans expressed joy ...