Liberation Day in Libya

Listen to Dave’s Commentary: Liberation Day in Libya

The dictator suddenly loses control, his portraits are defaced, his sons are captured, there’s jubilation in the streets, but will there be new leaders to take the place of the old ones, and will the oil flow again, or will the victors haggle among themselves over who gets the oil money?

We’ve seen this movie before. Liberation, as we learned in Iraq; as we’re still learning in Afghanistan, is just the beginning.

In Libya, prominent TV anchor Hala Misrati waved a gun during her final broadcast on state TV, and said “With this weapon I will either kill or die today.” At last report she was in rebel hands.

But Muhammar Gadhafi has vanished with a vow to fight to the death.

Now the question. Will it be civil war, or law and order?

The British Prime Minister sounds optimistic:

“Yet another country is seeing the end of dictatorship and oppression, and a chance at a better future.”

Let’s hope so. I just remember April 9th 2003, the day we helped the rebels pull down Saddam’s statue. We had a huge troop presence and still things fell apart.

This time we have vowed NO US troops on the ground, made no promises (that we know of) — so it’s up to NATO, and if not NATO than the rebels themselves, and if not the rebels…. then natural selection.

Former Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, now at Harvard:

“I think we can expect this to be a fairly chaotic, very uneven, and unfortunately, perhaps even violent few weeks ahead.”

Everyone who’s partied hard knows all about the morning after.

Libya rebels hold most of Tripoli, face resistance

See videos of scene in Libya: