Libya In Distress

The situation in Libya has spiraled into a national crisis, leaving the violence-stricken country in a state of disarray.

Preexisting tensions between the Libyan government and citizens have boiled over into a chain of violent protests spreading across the nation. Rumors of civil war have emerged and left many Libyan citizens terrified and without any sense of security. Riots have broken out in cities all across the nation, resulting in violent clashes between protesters and military forces. President Moammar Qaddafi – President of Libya for the past forty-one years – has ordered strict military responses to the anti-government protests.

However, many defections of the armed forces have refused to follow these violent orders. According to sources at wordpress.com, “the eastern cities are protester-controlled, but Tripoli [the capital] has at least temporarily been bludgeoned into submission and is saturated with pro-regime forces, other western and central towns are reportedly under attack by military units, and now Qaddafi is contemplating how to regain control of the east before his authority completely unravels. The regime seems to have a shortage of reliable forces, as the army is reportedly divided along tribal lines.”

Across the country there have been thousands of reports of brutal violence and repression from the Libyan government. President Obama and other world leaders have cut off transactions with Libya, voicing their opposition to the violent crackdowns. This is just a start to the aid this ravaged nation is in need of.

The millions of voices calling out for freedom in this nation must be heard, and it is the responsibility of our nation to respond to these cries.



By: Anne Lehan