Often last little good news coming up close. And Libya is very close, from Sicily there you go by boat, to the base at Sigonella military aircraft takes less than 20 minutes for a trip to Sirte and back. The latest good news lasted a few hours, even if it was important, even exhilarating: the drubbing of Isis base in Sirte, its half destruction followed with a Victory Bulletin immediately upon an exchange of congratulations between the government in Tripoli and his allies.
If not that, a few hours later, came the answer: the disavowal of that government by Libyan (legitime) parliament. Although it operates, and in this case voted, at a considerable distance from Tripoli, Tobruk and much closer to the border with Egypt. The tone is rather glittering, so much that PM Fayez al-Sarraj takes refuge in Tunisia. A nasty surprise.
But worst surprise because the government enjoys the confidence yes or at least the sympathy of the West, but not that of the Libyans majority . And in fact on the ground nothing changed. The country continues to be in the hands of militias (Isis is just one of many), in Tripoli is returning the great usual clutter. If there was a Strong Man, general Khalifa Haftar, he was further strengthened even as defense minister of that other government, that of Tobruk in Cyrenaica and thus openly and firmly supported by the Egyptian one.
The situation, therefore, starts to get even more complicated. The country is split in two by at least one and half a year. Tripoli and Tobruk continue their creeping war without signs that one of the belligerents comes close to victory. Tripoli from its international recognition, US and EU that is also in the military version. Tobruk has what appears to be the real strong man, and the support of some more or less Islamic governments. It is more likely, that Haftar one day decides to march on Tripoli than Sarraj don't take the road to Tobruk.
It depends not only on military and political quality of both of them eastern Libya while Tobruk and Benghazi are content to keep what they have. And for them they have several things, including the oil and History. The Libyan land is ancient, glorious, but what it lacks is a unitary past. It never was even in its name. First there were the Greek Cyrenaica and West Carthage. The border was established, according to legend, by crossing two marathons: two pairs of games athletes one from the East, a West; where they were met there would arise the sacred boundary between two homelands. Those who won were the Fileni brothers, who died of heroic effort, but pushed forward the frontier. Then came the Romans, who incorporated both. The collapse of their power, a new division and finally the Ottoman Empire mantle.
Libya did not speak. It rose as a result of an operation of prestige initiated by Giolitti in 1911, on behalf of an Italy which only regained its unity 50 years. He sang "Tripoli beautiful land of love." But enthusiasm was not quite unanimous. A pacifist like Giovanni Pascoli applauded extolling the "great proletarian" but opposed a socialist already known as Benito Mussolini, author of a warning: "Neither a penny nor a soldier for the imperialist war." Then, then he became the Duce, he found himself in hand Tripolitania and Cyrenaica and did not resist the temptation to call it imperial and Roman Libya. He built a monument to Fileni brothers and went to personally to inaugurate it.
Defeated in World War II, Italy disappeared politically from Libya, leaving behind that name, but Libyans continue to feel and to be divided, held together only by Gaddafi dictatorship heritage without heirs, but a void that every time someone tries to fill. Now maybe it's up to Khalifa Haftar. If he becomes a dictator and "unite" a land which does not really feel this need.
Perhaps the acceptable solution would be to let "Libya" would return to be two. But the ''modern and democratic orthodoxy" so far has not accepted it.
If not that, a few hours later, came the answer: the disavowal of that government by Libyan (legitime) parliament. Although it operates, and in this case voted, at a considerable distance from Tripoli, Tobruk and much closer to the border with Egypt. The tone is rather glittering, so much that PM Fayez al-Sarraj takes refuge in Tunisia. A nasty surprise.
But worst surprise because the government enjoys the confidence yes or at least the sympathy of the West, but not that of the Libyans majority . And in fact on the ground nothing changed. The country continues to be in the hands of militias (Isis is just one of many), in Tripoli is returning the great usual clutter. If there was a Strong Man, general Khalifa Haftar, he was further strengthened even as defense minister of that other government, that of Tobruk in Cyrenaica and thus openly and firmly supported by the Egyptian one.
The situation, therefore, starts to get even more complicated. The country is split in two by at least one and half a year. Tripoli and Tobruk continue their creeping war without signs that one of the belligerents comes close to victory. Tripoli from its international recognition, US and EU that is also in the military version. Tobruk has what appears to be the real strong man, and the support of some more or less Islamic governments. It is more likely, that Haftar one day decides to march on Tripoli than Sarraj don't take the road to Tobruk.
It depends not only on military and political quality of both of them eastern Libya while Tobruk and Benghazi are content to keep what they have. And for them they have several things, including the oil and History. The Libyan land is ancient, glorious, but what it lacks is a unitary past. It never was even in its name. First there were the Greek Cyrenaica and West Carthage. The border was established, according to legend, by crossing two marathons: two pairs of games athletes one from the East, a West; where they were met there would arise the sacred boundary between two homelands. Those who won were the Fileni brothers, who died of heroic effort, but pushed forward the frontier. Then came the Romans, who incorporated both. The collapse of their power, a new division and finally the Ottoman Empire mantle.
Libya did not speak. It rose as a result of an operation of prestige initiated by Giolitti in 1911, on behalf of an Italy which only regained its unity 50 years. He sang "Tripoli beautiful land of love." But enthusiasm was not quite unanimous. A pacifist like Giovanni Pascoli applauded extolling the "great proletarian" but opposed a socialist already known as Benito Mussolini, author of a warning: "Neither a penny nor a soldier for the imperialist war." Then, then he became the Duce, he found himself in hand Tripolitania and Cyrenaica and did not resist the temptation to call it imperial and Roman Libya. He built a monument to Fileni brothers and went to personally to inaugurate it.
Defeated in World War II, Italy disappeared politically from Libya, leaving behind that name, but Libyans continue to feel and to be divided, held together only by Gaddafi dictatorship heritage without heirs, but a void that every time someone tries to fill. Now maybe it's up to Khalifa Haftar. If he becomes a dictator and "unite" a land which does not really feel this need.
Perhaps the acceptable solution would be to let "Libya" would return to be two. But the ''modern and democratic orthodoxy" so far has not accepted it.
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