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                  Chaos Continues in Libya Where Militias Rule

   by Meredith Buel

   Two years after the death of Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, chaos reigns in
   Libya where a barely functioning central government is unable to
   control the thousands of militias that roam the country.
   In the aftermath of Libya's revolution, an estimated 200,000 militiamen
   are spread across the country's towns and cities, controlling large
   parts of the country.
   The militias form a parallel state, and the central government has
   virtually no power over them.
   William Lawrence is an analyst who just returned from Libya.
   "You have communal clashes, you have militias fighting over control of
   airports or smuggling routes, you have militias shutting down oil
   production facilities, you have kidnappings," said Lawrence.
   Prime Minister Ali Zeidan is among those recently abducted.
   His brief detention underscores Libya's post-Gadhafi turmoil.
   More mayhem is expected now that the prime minister has alleged he was
   the victim of an attempted coup.
   "All these actions were ordered by some leaders inside our government.
   It is an attempted coup to topple the legal government," said Ali
   Zeidan.
   Protesters are accusing the prime minister of having tacitly approved
   the U.S. capture on Libyan soil  of an alleged al-Qaida operative. And
   anti-American feeling is rising.
   American commandos snatched Abu Anas al-Libi off a street in Tripoli
   earlier this month.
   U.S. officials say he was one of the most wanted terrorists.
   Al-Libi was indicted more than a decade ago for allegedly planning the
   deadly 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
   U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry:
   "The United States of America will never stop in its effort to hold
   those accountable who conduct acts of terror and those members of
   al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations literally can run but they
   can't hide," said Kerry.
   Al-Libi pleaded not guilty in a New York court and possibly may possess
   significant information about al-Qaida.
   Karen Greenberg directs the Center on National Security at Fordham
   University.
   "And so I think he's considered a very valuable source and resource for
   the United States right now," said Greenberg.
   Al-Libi's capture infuriated Islamists in Libya, who are calling for
   the government to step down.
   Despite the lawlessness, some analysts point to Libya's well educated
   population and an overall desire for stability and rule of law.
   Manal Omar directs the North Africa program at the U.S. Institute of
   Peace.
   "Libya, although it has had challenges, although it has had bumps, has
   incredible challenges when you talk about militias and security, has
   moved incrementally forward," said Omar.
   Still, analysts predict it could take a decade before Libya can become
   a stable democracy.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/chaos-continues-in-libya-where-militi
   as-rule/1771996.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/chaos-continues-in-libya-where-militias-rule/1771996.html