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allieggg

Can Libya Rebuild Itself After 40 Years of Gaddafi? - 0 views

  • the man has hollowed out the Libyan state, eviscerated all opposition in Libyan society, and, in effect, created a political tabula rasa on which a newly free people will now have to scratch out a future.
  • Jamahiriya, a political system that is run directly by tribesmen without the intermediation of state institutions
  • the problem is, of course, that much like in the former Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe, virtually everyone at one point or another had to deal with the regime to survive.
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • Libya is truly a case apart.
  • the disastrous Italian legacy in Libya, has been a constant element in Gaddafi’s speeches since he took power
  • inspired by Gamal Abdel Nasser, neighboring Egypt’s president, whose ideas of Arab nationalism and of the possibility of restoring glory to the Arab world, would fuel the first decade of Gaddafi’s revolution.
  • he was unimpressed with the niceties of international diplomacy,
  • In a brilliant move that co-opted tribal elders, many of whom were also military commanders, he created the Social Leadership People’s Committee, through which he could simultaneously control the tribes and segments of the country’s military.
  • When it turned out that Libya, which was still a decentralized society in 1969, had little appetite for his centralizing political vision and remained largely indifferent to his proposals, the young idealist quickly turned activist.
  • Green Book, a set of slim volumes published in the mid-1970s that contain Gaddafi’s political philosophy, a blueprint is offered for a dramatic restructuring of Libya’s economy, politics, and society. In principle, Libya would become an experiment in democracy. In reality, it became a police state where every move of its citizens was carefully watched by a growing number of security apparatuses and revolutionary committees that owed loyalty directly to Gaddafi.
  • Having crushed all opposition by the mid-1970s, the regime systematically snuffed out any group that could potentially oppose it—any activity that could be construed as political opposition was punishable by death, which is one reason why a post-Gaddafi Libya, unlike a post-Mubarak Egypt, can have no ready-made opposition in a position to fill the vacuum.
  • The tribes—the Warfalla, the Awlad Busayf, the Magharha, the Zuwaya, the Barasa, and the smallest of them all, the Gadafa, to which he belonged—offered a natural form of political affiliation, a tribal ethos that could be tapped into for support. And perhaps, in the aftermath of Gaddafi, they could serve as a nucleus around which to build a new political system.
  • Gaddafi feared they might coalesce into groups opposing his rule. So, during the first two decades after the 1969 coup, he tried to erase their influence, arguing that they were an archaic element in a modern society.
  • comprehensive reconstruction of everything civic, political, legal, and moral that makes up a society and its government.
  • After systematically destroying local society, after using the tribes to cancel each other out, after aborting methodically the emergence of a younger generation that could take over Libya’s political life—all compounded by the general incoherence of the country’s administrative and bureaucratic institutions—Gaddafi will have left a new Libya with severe and longstanding challenges.
  • the growing isolation of Libya as international sanctions were imposed.
  • Lockerbie was the logical endpoint for a regime that had lost all international legitimacy.
  • while the regime still had the coercive power to put down any uprisings that took place in the 1990s, it became clear to Gaddafi’s closest advisers that the potential for unrest had reached unprecedented levels.
  • way out was to come to an agreement with the West that would end the sanctions, allow Libya to refurbish an aging oil infrastructure, and provide a safety valve by permitting Libyans to travel abroad once more.
  • intent to renounce weapons of mass destruction in December 2003—after a long process of behind-the-scenes diplomacy initially spearheaded by Britain
  • “The Revolution Everlasting” was one of the enduring slogans of his Libya, inscribed everywhere from bridges to water bottles.
  • regime that had, for four decades, mismanaged the country’s economy and humiliated its citizens
  • country was split in half, with eastern Cyrenaica and its main city Benghazi effectively independent—a demonstration of the kind of people’s power Gaddafi had always advocated. Reality, in effect, outgrew the caricature.
  • used a set of divide-and-rule policies that not only kept his opponents sundered from each other, but had also completely enfeebled any social or political institution in the country.
  • Beyond Gaddafi, there exists only a great political emptiness, a void that Libya somehow will need to fill.
  • the creation of a modern state where Libyans become true citizens, with all the rights and duties this entails.
  • the terrorist incidents
  • Regimes can use oil revenues strategically to provide patronage that effectively keeps them in power.
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    This article from News Week basically paints a picture of Libyan history and how Gaddafi's reign devastated the state economically, socially, and politically. Author Dirk Vandewalle uses the phrase "a political tabula rasa" which in Latin means a blank slate, to describe the fate of Libya after Gaddafi's rule and convey the extent to which the country has to literally reconstruct every component that makes up a society and its government. He highlights major events that led to the downfall of both the Gaddafi regime and the Libyan state as a whole such as Arab nationalism, Jamahiriya, the Green Book, security apparatuses snuffing all opposition, terrorist incidents, isolation and international sanctions, the Lockerbie bombing, weapons of mass destruction, human right violations, divide and rule policies, and his use of oil revenue to fuel his insurgency. Vandewalle concludes the article with uncertain ideas thoughts towards Libya's future and the way the state is going to literally rebuild themselves from this "blank slate" that Gaddafi left behind. 
irede123

U.S.-led Airstrikes in Syria Kill 48 ISIS Fighters, Turkey Says - 0 views

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    "U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in Syria killed 48 Islamic State militant group (ISIS) fighters on Saturday, Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said, quoting the Turkish military. F-16 and A-10 warplanes killed 44 members of the militant group and injured others in Harjalah, Delha, Baragitah and Hawar Kilis, it said. Four more members of the hardline Sunni group were killed in separate airstrikes in the Karakopru region. Gun installations and barracks were also destroyed in that attack, it said. "
ysenia

Iran nuclear deal puts US in bind amid criticism - 0 views

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    Claims that the Iran nuclear deal is really bad for the United States and future presidents guarantee to end the deal after the Obama Administration. Israel and other countries around Iran say it is more dangerous than ever.
cthomase

Generals fear Benghazi 2 in Libya - 1 views

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    One thing I'm starting to get from the various bookmarks I'm posting is that the world seems to be very afraid of doing anything in Libya. After the Benghazi attack that killed our ambassador, the world has largely ignored what's been occurring in Libya. There's been essentially no government, regional neighbors are afraid of ISIS, the world doesn't want to get involved and now we're up to more of a mess than we started with.
cthomase

Libya's Tripoli authority rejects UN-backed government - 2 views

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    Throwing more chaos into an already chaos filled nation, Tripoli's unrecognized government refused to officially step aside and recognize the UN-back unity government.
aromo0

On women in Egypt: Equality doesn't mean justice - Daily News Egypt - 0 views

  • “Women in politics”
  • “Women in society”
  • “Women in the economy”
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  • “Women in the family”
  • “Reproductive rights”
  • Violence against
  • women”
  • The study showed that 99.3% of Egyptian women have experienced some form of sexual harassment.
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    Equality does not mean justice for women in Egypt, according to some.
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    A survey ranked Egypt 22nd, dead last, among all Arab states for women's rights. Categories vary from women in politics, women's rights, and domestic violence with women.
cguybar

Muslim Brotherhood in America - FBI, CIA, Pentagon, White House - 0 views

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    Discusses the origins of the Muslim Brotherhood in America as well as how the organization has spread. There are more similarities on the spread of the organization then I initially thought.
mkulach

Hamas denies links with Muslem Brotherhood in Egypt and elsewhere - Middle East News - 0 views

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    Attempt to distance Hamas from Brotherhood is part of an attempt to improve ties between the organization and Egypt. The Brotherhood has been getting cut down and many member have been taken away into prison, so it is in Hamas' interest to disconnect from this organization and take a new path.
cguybar

Muslim Brotherhood launches its own U.S. political party - 0 views

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    This article focuses primarily on the Muslim Brotherhood's legitimate political party in the U.S. It expresses how the ignorance of American people towards terrorist groups let this happen and how due to this ignorance the political party has the potential to grow.
ysenia

Iran Is Enjoying Increasing Freedom and Secrecy Under Nuclear Deal With US - US News - 0 views

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    Iran has recently been going against the nuclear deal and freed itself of previous restrictions. It has created more hostility between the United States and Iran which is the opposite of what the plan was supposed to do.
ysenia

Opinion Journal: Iran's Nuclear Deal Full of Holes - 0 views

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    Iran Nuclear Deal is filled with loop-hole phrases that allows Iran to technically make nuclear missiles. Ambassador John Bolton states that the plan was a complete failure and one of the better options would to essentially start over when the next president is sworn in.
cthomase

Libya: Neighboring States Meet in Tunis to Coordinate Response - 0 views

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    Libya's neighbors along with members of the newly established unity government met in Tunis to discuss how Libya's neighbors can help Libya finally achieve piece and stability. It is apparent that in order for Libya to succeed in not only achieving stability and kicking out ISIS, they must rely on the help of regional partners.
mportie

Two new cyber-espionage groups targeting ISPs inside Iran - 0 views

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    Cadelle and Chafer, the name of these groups, engage in cyber espionage using backdoors to target political activists and dissidents. These cyber groups have infiltrated over 100 systems of airlines, telecommunications and other organisations, mainly in the Middle East.
mportie

Iran is emerging as one of the most dangerous cyber threats to the US - 0 views

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    Iran's cyber aggression is more of a political ploy than military against the US. The cyber espionage targets institutions that may not have strategic value, but are well-known by the public for stronger media coverage to boost propaganda.
mportie

Iranian Hackers Attack State Dept. via Social Media Accounts - 1 views

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    After the the new nuclear deal Iran's focus has been channeled into cyber activity. Iran state sponsored cyber espionage aimed at state department employees has been noted, usually through social media.
ralph0

After Raising the Stakes, Is Turkey's Erdogan Out of Options in Syria? - 0 views

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    The conflicting interests of the US in Syria continued. Turkey hates the Kurds, but the US is using them to fight ISIS, despite them being terrorists in the eyes of their ally. This makes it sound like Erdogan is growing defiant and may provoke action by the US.
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