Understanding Libya: How the Country’s Past Shapes Its Present Instability

Understanding Libya: How the country’s past shapes its present instability

From colonial manipulation to post-Gaddafi collapse, Libya’s crisis is rooted in historical divisionsOriginally published on Global VoicesA 1766 view of the city of Tripoli from Biblioteca del Museo di Storia naturale e dell'Acquario civico di Milano on Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.  By Osama Qatrani To understand Libya’s present-day crisis, one must first consider the historical, geographical, and ethnic foundations that predate the modern …

Libya’s engineered collapse: How oil, militias, and foreign powers hijacked the state

More than a decade has passed since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, yet instead of blossoming into a stable democracy or even a functioning state, Libya has spiraled into a carefully engineered disaster. The country’s institutional framework has all but disintegrated, with key state responsibilities outsourced-or outright surrendered-to militias, criminal syndicates, and foreign actors. What remains is a hollow shell of …