Gaddafi was the leader of Libya who ruled the country since 1969 when he took over power in a military coup. In his manifold reign, he managed to create his political order in his own perceptions, controlled the oil riches of the country, and positioned himself as the revolutionary leader and dictator. In the year 2011, the waves of the Arab Spring reached Libya and turned the country into a turning point in its history. They were inspired by the outbursts in neighboring states, and so Libyans struck against the rule of Gaddafi. Initially peaceful protests eventually prompted an armed battle that saw him lose his 40-year uninterrupted grasp of power.
The Ruling of Gaddafi in Libya
When Gaddafi came into power in 1969, he took the system to a new paradigm, the Jamahiriya, a state that controlled the masses. In actuality, however, he was nearly all the power himself. The political parties in Libya were prohibited, and anyone against his rule was punished or even deported.
Gaddafi invested the rich oil resources of Libya in education, health, and housing. Some years ago, a lot of Libyans enjoyed free services and a steady improvement in living standards. However, corruption increased, and money tended to be dominated by Gaddafi and people who were close to him. He also banked a lot on tribal loyalty because he gave stronger emphasis to some tribes than others to maintain his power firmly.
He posed himself as an anti-Western revolutionary internationally. With time, his erratic nature and tyranny alienated most parts of the globe and made many natives very angry in Libya itself.
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Arab Spring, and Uprising in Libya
A citizens’ movement in the form of the Arab Spring was witnessed in the first half of 2011, whereby people joined the streets to seek freedom, democracy, and to eject long-standing regimes. With the internal encouragements coming in, Libyans also joined in protesting against the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, and the protests began in Benghazi.
Initially, the protests were nonviolent as the population demanded political change and an improvement in rights. However, the government of Gaddafi met this with force as security officials and heavy weapons were used against demonstrators. This violent crackdown transformed the protesters into a full-scale uprising during which people started to retaliate.
This later turned out into a civil war. Rebels were able to occupy some cities in the east, whereas Gaddafi was in control of Tripoli and western Libya. Libya was split, and every week the conflict became more and more intense. Street protests that had begun to take place had now escalated into a countrywide initiative meant to oust Gaddafi after holding the reins of power in the country for over forty years.
Fall of Tripoli | August 2011
By mid-2011, the parameters had changed in Libya. NATO had been bombing Gaddafi day in and day out, and as a result, the Libyan army was depleted, and by now it had lost most weapons, tanks, and even its command centers. Meanwhile, the rebels, now fighting more organized and supplied by the outside nations through the supply of weapons and training, had made some strides city by city. The final moment was the battle for the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
In August 2011, the rebels said they began an operation known as `Operation Mermaid Dawn` to invade the capital. They also moved in through various routes such as the western mountains and coastal ways, and the NATO aircraft bombed the remaining strongholds of the Gaddafi forces. An open war erupted in Tripoli, whilst rebels were fighting against the loyalist soldiers in the streets.
Important places one by one succumbed to it; the most representative one was Bab al-Aziziya, the compound and command center of Gaddafi, which was fortified. Rebels finally took the compound after days of heavy combat, pulling down statues and other symbols of Gaddafi. His seizure was interpreted around the globe as the death of his ruling drive.
The downfall of the control of Gaddafi was fast. The rebels took many government officials and soldiers captive, or army men joined the rebels. By the end of August, Tripoli was virtually under rebel control, and explosions of jubilation took place throughout the city as Libyans rejoiced in the end of over forty years of dictatorial rule.
Gaddafi`s Capture
Muammar Gaddafi was eventually captured and killed on October 20, 2011, in his hometown of Sirte after sustained heavy fighting. Rebels closed in, and Gaddafi attempted to escape a convoy that was hit by NATO air attacks, which compelled him to hide in a drainage pipe with a handful of loyal men. He was quickly found, injured, and captured by rebel forces. Videos depicted him being beaten and dragged by mobs until he was killed in what appears to be heightened force brought by fellow citizens or what seemed to be like execution. His death brought to an end his 42-year reign and the closing of the dramatic Libyan history.
Fall-Out of Gaddafi
The passing of Muammar Gaddafi lasted over forty years of dictatorship, but it did not convert Libya to peace and stability. Rather, his fall gave rise to a power vacuum. The rebel alliance, which initially faltered only over the desire to get rid of Gaddafi, soon degenerated into competing factions. Armed militias of tribes, regions, and ideologies did not want to disarm and started fighting over control.
In the subsequent years, Libya sank into political instability and civil war. Two rival governments were formed in Tripoli and Tobruk, which were backed by different militias and foreign supporters. Extremist groups, such as ISIS, also exploited the instability to extend violence in some places in the country.
Observers pointed out internationally that Libya was used as an example of the dangers of foreign intervention without a plan behind it. Although the actions of NATO succeeded in overthrowing Gaddafi, they were criticized on the basis that the world could not assist Libya in rebuilding. This left Libya with poor institutions, corruption, and incessant strife as the re-assuring evidential promise of freedom and democracy following Gaddafi’s takedown could not easily materialize.
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