Daily Alert Archives

Who Is Running Libya's Revolution, and Does It Matter?

(Huffington Post) Marc Ginsberg - Libya is really two countries - one centered on the capital city Tripoli, the other centered on the eastern city of Benghazi - 480 miles apart. Each city has a number of tribes that control their environs. Gaddafi has his tribe (the Qadhadhfa), and Benghazi is protected by the largest adversarial tribe to Gaddafi known as the Senoussi. Another tribe, Libya's largest, known as the Warfala, could very well decide Gaddafi's fate since its leadership has turned against Gaddafi and thrown its vast influence and resources into the fight against the regime. The National Council based in Benghazi, Libya's second largest city, is composed of representatives of the defecting military, tribal elders, former government officials, and designated officials from cities and towns that are under the control of anti-government forces. There is no shortage of military officers who bolted from Gaddafi and are now leading revolutionary forces. Any of them could emerge as the strongman opponent to Gaddafi. One of the preeminent military leaders is Abdul Fatah Younis, a former Libyan general and interior minister. Circulating in Benghazi are also remnants of the Libyan Fighting Group, a franchise cell of al-Qaeda and theoretically linked to the larger al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM) as well as Islamic militants who escaped prison during the initial days of the revolution. They should not be underestimated. AQIM is a growing, potent al-Qaeda franchise throughout the Sahara. The writer is a former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco.
2011-03-04 00:00:00
Full Article