Amid Chants of 'Free Libya, Terrorists Out,' a Nation at a Crossroads

Jason Pack with Andrea Khalil in The Wall St. Journal on how and why the majority of Libyans support the USA not only in an abstract sense but wish for increased American engagement in their country. It may be behind a firewall. So I'm presenting many of the sections here.September 11th now signifies a national tragedy not only for the United States but also for Libya. The killing of Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Benghazi during LAST Tuesday’s attack on the U.S. MISSION has upset the delicate political transition from dictatorship to democracy that was unfolding here in Libya. It also has obscured parliament’s prudent selection LAST Wednesday evening of Mustafa Abushagour—a moderate Islamist and respected technocrat—as prime minister. Yet spontaneous street demonstrations THROUGHOUT THE WEEK denouncing the attack AND SEEKING TO PRESSURE THE GOVERNMENT TO ACT AGAINST ITS PERPETRATORS suggest that Libyans are determined to build an inclusive society, free from fear. According to a recent Gallup poll, Libyans hold a more favorable attitude toward Americans than even Canadians. This is in STARK contrast to the situation in Egypt, Yemen, and elsewhere, where the storming of the American embassies seems to have been a grass-roots undertaking.As days have passed since the attack on the consulate, Libyans’ popular condemnation has only amplified. A meeting took place on Thursday evening at the Shbelia Hotel in order to coordinate CITIZEN action against the militants. The people who attended also wanted to goad the government into reining in the myriad militias that fought the struggle against Gadhafi and have since deepened their hold on local politics since his ouster. According to one activist, “There is no government response—because there is no government.”On Thursday, Prime Minister Abushagour issued a strong statement condemning the attack, expressing solidarity with the U.S., and promising to bring the criminals to justice. THIS IMMEDIATELY PROMPTED TALK of an upcoming government offensive to shut down all the roads in eastern Libya and sweep for militants. FRIDAY, BENGHAZI'S BENINA AIRPORT WAS CLOSED TO LIMIT ESCAPE OF SUSPECTS.  Despite such HIGH HOPES and at least SIXTEEN arrests, experts doubt that the Libyan authorities have the firepower or organizational know-how to tackle the nonstate actors in their midst. Moreover, this attack has further added to the perception that the Libyan government does not effectively control the territory it supposedly governs.   BY SATURDAY AS THE GRAND SWEEP HAD NOT MATERIALIZED, PUBLIC PRESSURE MOUNTED FOR BOLDER GOVERNMENT ACTION.CIVIL SOCIETY AND YOUTH ACTIVISTS PLANNED A " FRIDAY TO RESCUE BENGHAZI" DEMONSTRATION. TRIBAL SHEIKHS FROM ACROSS EASTERN LIBYA MEET TO COORDINATE THEIR LOCAL EFFORTS TO COLLECT WEAPONS AND PRESSURE THE GOVERNMENT TO DISSOLVE MILITIAS. ALL WHO SPOKE AT THE MEETING READ STATEMENTS CONDEMING THE VILE KILLING OF THE US AMBASSADOR.GIVEN THE PROFOUND WEAKNESS OF THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT, IT CANNOT FILL THE SECURITY VACUUM ALL BY ITSELF. How, then, could there be a silver lining to this tragedy for both the U.S. and Libya? IT could prompt LIBYANS TO DECISIVELY UNITE AGAINST THE EXTREMISTS AND NONSTATE ACTORS IN THEIR MIDST WHILE ALSO GOADING the U.S. to INCREASE capacity-building assistance to the Libyan people—helping them construct the requisite institutions for a democratic and prosperous future. In the words of Sen. John McCain, “Libya is wealthy. It does not need our money . . . It needs our technical expertise.” Based on our observation, popular sentiment throughout Libya longs for such increased international cooperation.