My Monograph on Libya's Militia Problem "In War's Wake: The Struggle for Post-Qadhafi Libya"During the 2011 uprisings in Libya, rebel militias emerged throughout regime-held territory, fighting Qadhafi's forces despite being largely cut off from coordination with the center of opposition power. By revolution's end, these peripheral militias were stronger than the interim government's forces and had resorted to jockeying for power against each other via gun battles in downtown Tripoli. How can the international community help avoid further deterioration in a country devastated by months of war?In this new study, Jason Pack and Barak Barfi explain why the United States must take a proactive stance in ensuring that Libyan authorities win the peace, not just the war. Although Washington cannot overtly interfere in the country's internal politics, it can pave the way for NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, private firms, and foreign officials to help the National Transitional Council establish institutions capable of connecting with the periphery. Only then will the center be up to the crucial tasks of building capacity, jumpstarting the economy, and defeating the inherent centrifugal force of the militias.
In War's Wake: The Struggle for Post-Qadhafi Libya