The greatness of a nation is measured by the way it treats its enemies. Well, Libya does not score too well on that scale, judging by the way its former leader and his cronies were dealt with upon discovery. I'm not saying Gaddafi cum suis deserved any better, but the protestations of the new Libyan leadership that they did not want Gaddafi dead sound a tad hollow.
In civil wars, the first line of this blogpost becomes incredibly difficult to maintain, and the acrimony that has gripped Libya since February is testimony to that. In fact, the pent-up hatred against the totalitarian rule of Gaddafi has come pouring out like from a freshly lanced boil. There will be the inevitable settling of accounts, some going back to 1969, when Gaddafi came to power. I have no illusions that things will stay ugly in Libya for a long time. Some say Sirte, which provided succour to the dictator, should not be reconstructed.
I am not so naive as to expect an instant national reconciliation in Libya. I can only hope for that, given time.
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