Since he rose to power in a military coup in 1969, Libya’s once-permanent leader Col. Moammar Gaddafi has certainly seen his ups and downs, from the controversies of Black September and Lockerbie, to his post-9/11 thaw and re-entry into the global economy.  But nothing compares to existential threat he has faced as a result of the astonishing February 17th protest movement which has driven the regime to the precipice and seized the world’s attention.

Modeled on the inspiring examples set by courageous, well organized, and overwhelmingly peaceful demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt, the Libyan demonstrators were quickly reminded that they are operating in an altogether different environment, facing a government that did not feel constrained by law, rights, or international opinion.  Oddly, the protest movement, which included a Facebook grouping calling for a “Day of Anger” to commemorate the 17th, were not very large until the Gaddafi regime overreacted with a number of pre-emptive arrests of human rights campaigners, including the detention of a well known lawyer, Fehti Tarbel, who represented the families of about 1,200 prisoners who were disappeared and murdered at the Adu Salim prison.  From that moment on, the numbers swelled and the frustrations took hold.

Given the repressive media conditions in Libya (a major difference from the protests in the relatively freer and wealthier Tunisia and Egypt) it has been very hard for international observers to precisely document the unfolding situation.  However, what we do know indicates an unprecedented level of brutality which has shaken the country to its foundations, leading to what many believe to be an evitable removal of North Africa’s third dictator in as many months (though how long this process might take is anyone’s guess).