August 22, 2011
The Fall Of Tripoli: Is This The End Of The Gadhafi Regime?
Within hours after heavy fighting erupted in Libya's capital this weekend, it appears that Colonel Moammar Gadhafi's regime is finally on its way out. Rebel forces are claiming control of 95 percent of Tripoli as skirmishes continue in the capital, and the Libyan strongman's whereabouts are unknown. NATO has pledged to continue its air strike campaign in support of the rebels, and Western leaders are reaching out to the rebels' National Transitional Council to discuss ways to build democracy in the country. Why did Tripoli fall so quickly? How will events in Libya affect other countries involved in the Arab Spring movement? What lessons can the West learn from failed attempts to build democracy in other Muslim countries?