The Arab Spring in Libya

Starting in Tunisia and expanding to Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain and Libya in waves, Arab rebellions took a picture ending up with an international intervention in Libya. The rebellion erupting in Libya turned into an absolute civil war. It is seen that external dynamics did not abstain from intervening in Libya in an anti-Gaddafi position in accordance with their national interests during conflicts between opponents and internal dynamics formed by the armed forces affiliated to Gaddafi, which had a great effect on emergence of the said civil war, in contrast to rebellions taking place in Tunisia and Egypt. Coming out with attempts of France and the United Kingdom and then participation of the USA, external dynamics continued their intervention and support to the opponents by using the UN and NATO as an instrument until they accomplished their ultimate goal of toppling Gaddafi. In this regard, the UN issued two important resolutions depending on the “responsibility to protect” concept of the Security Council, and thus legitimized the intervention.