Libyan Civil Unrest

The success of what has been called the revolution in Egypt this February has sparked similar protests in other Middle Eastern countries. Among these is Egypt’s neighbor, Libya, where Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi has ruled since 1969.

While Qaddafi’s security forces and hired mercenaries continue to employ violent force in attempts to  subdue the protests (with civilian death estimates between 300 and 1,000), many government officials, including military officers, ministers, and diplomats have quit their posts and/or declared their support of the anti-Qaddafi protesters.

Though Qaddafi forces continue to hold out in the capital city of Tripoli, protesters appear to have the upper hand in other cities and areas of the country despite Qaddafi’s promise to bomb and kill Libyan civilians who continue to call for his removal. Qaddafi’s violent response sits in vivid contrast to the government response in Egypt and some other Middle Eastern countries where non-violent means have been employed in response to recent anti-government efforts to topple autocratic leaders and effect change.

In the meantime, foreign diplomats and workers have fled or are waiting to escape Libya, foreign journalists have been banned, and Internet access has been largely shut down by the government.

Discussion Questions:

1)      Compare and contrast the government responses to protests in Egypt and Libya. What do you believe are the primary reasons for this difference in response?

2)      Protests in other Middle East countries are taking or have taken place since the beginning of the Egyptian protests, with varying government responses, including bribery, force, and promises to reform. Which of these do you feel is likely to be most effective in the short term? What about long term?

3)      Experts on the Middle East say that changes they would have expected to take at least another decade have now been accelerated because of the Egyptian revolution. Two of the reasons they cite are technology and the large number of younger citizens. Do you think this is correct? Why or why not?

4)      Though many people throughout the world applaud the efforts of anti-government protesters in non-democratic countries, they are also uneasy about what comes next. What are some reasons for this unease?

Additional Resources for Global Issues in Context Subscribers:
Libyan Civil Unrest – NEW!
Egyptian Revolution
Libya
Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution

Additional Resources:

Libya’s Past and Future, from aljezeera.net
Libya Protests: Pressure Mounts on Gaddafi, from bbc.com
Arab League Reprimands Gaddafi, from npr.org
Libya: The Protests (2011), from nytimes.com