© Abdel Bari AtwanAbdel Bari Atwan
Editor in Chief of Alquds Alarabi Newspaper
Welcome to the new Libya, a country 'liberated' by NATO which now finds itself without the oil revenues which could make it rich, with no security, no stability and assassinations and corruption at unprecendented levels.
Last Friday, the
Economist magazine published a report about the implosion of Libya. My attention was caught by the pictures that illustrated the piece - particularly one of some graffitti on the wall of a sea front cafe in the capital Tripoli. 'The only way to Heaven is the way to the airport' it read.
The joke is indicative of the troubled state of Libya nowadays following 'liberation' by NATO warplanes in the sky and the revolution on the ground which toppled the dictatorial regime of Muammar al-Ghadaffi.
Recently I have met many peope who are visiting London from Libya and they tell stories of life there which are hard to believe.
The capital Tripoli had no water or electricity for a whole week.
The armed militia dominate and rule the streets in the absence of a workable government, a national security establishment and basic municipal services.
Onoud Zanoussi, the 18 year-old daughter of Abdullah Zanoussi, the former chief of Ghadaffi's security establishment, was kidnapped on her release from prison following seven months behind bars accused of entering her country illegally. She was abducted in front of the prison gates and the abductor was one of the guards!
Two years ago, the British and French business community sharpened their teeth and rubbed their hands with glee in anticipation of their share of Libyan reconstruction. Now there isn't a single foreign businessman in Tripoli, all of them ran for their lives after the assasssination of the American Ambassador and attacks on several foreign Embassies and Consulates.
Comment: It was only a matter of time...
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