Gaddafi’s death has not brought an end to the civil war in Libya. What’s more, the brutality with which he was killed without charge or trial has caused public revulsion both in the Arab Islamic world and beyond.
The debasing of Gaddafi’s dead, bloody body, no matter how flawed or criminally liable he was, runs counter to any canons of humanity, freedom or democracy reportedly professed by the West. This brutality contradicts both Islamic and Christian values.
Days of dancing over the dead body will not add weight or confidence to the rebels who are now disjointed. Those who are not sympathetic toward Gaddafi – he had very few friends in the country or elsewhere – can now use his name as a new stimulus to rally around. This is because the West took cover behind the principles of humanity, freedom and democracy to interfere in the civil war. But can one talk about humanity and democracy when the dead body of an old man is put up for public viewing, to be shamed and laughed at? Or when Western political leaders smile and congratulate Libya on the murder?
This does not mean that everything Gaddafi did was good or right. But what has happened in recent days is a bad sign indicating that the country is far from settled and that the situation could worsen.
Disagreements currently running within rebel ranks could get out of hand, though a chance for stability exists of course. We are seeing a new stage in the country’s development and must be prepared to cooperate with the new regime if we are invited to contribute to the country’s rebirth. But the threat of continued strife remains.
Today, we see no united political leadership that has recognized authority among the population. Libya has yet to travel the difficult path of restoration, stabilization and the search for cooperation among all regions, tribes and groups.
What needs to be developed is a strategy for a peaceful process: a sort of roadmap for national reconciliation that would include Gaddafi supporters and loyalists because they make up a considerable part of the population. Vast stocks of weapons need to be taken out of circulation: otherwise the slaughter will continue just because weapons are available and will be used. Joint national and international efforts will be required to demilitarize the country. This is going to be a difficult process and one that will largely depend on the international community and above all on the Libyans themselves.
Libya is a small country, but theoretically, with its ample oil and gas resources, it could eventually learn to manage itself and its opportunities.
The problems now are the result of Gaddafi’s failure to create a government that can function without him. The country lacks a system of representation, political parties and public offices that experienced leaders can fill.
A political system has to be built from scratch, and it is hard to say how the process will fare. The Islamic opposition camp, which includes both radicals and moderates, still has no common platform with the secular opposition or with the military. Yet the military remains and is not going away. There is still the possibility for confrontation between supporters of a military rule that are able to calm the country and representatives of an Islamic administration.
Does Russia have a place in the new Libya? The answer largely depends on who will guide the country. We do not know this as yet. But I think any new leadership will have to diversify its external ties. It will not want to look like a Western puppet in Islamic and Arab eyes, but will seek other partners, which, along with Western countries, will take part in restoring and developing the country.
I believe Russia will have a place though perhaps not at the level we could hope for considering our past relations with Gaddafi. The talk of the billions we have lost is not quite justified. No one knows how relations could have gone with the old regime, and we should not measure everything in terms of contracts and lost profits.
It is clear that the new Libyan authorities will need Russia as a partner, and I do not believe they will turn away from cooperating.
