U.S. action helped cause of freedom in Libya

„It may be right that Libya is not a »vital national interest«; the United States managed to live with a Gaddafi dictatorship for a long time. But look at the benefits if Libya begins to move toward democracy. The momentum will help democrats in Tunisia and Egypt who are trying to shape their post-dictatorship worlds. It further isolates Syria’s holdout strongman, Bashar al-Assad. It means young Libyans may be able to envision a healthy future for themselves instead of joining terrorist groups out of frustration and anger.

There are huge if’s, of course. Libya has no tradition of self-rule and little civil society after four decades of repression. Risks include reprisal killings, internecine power battles, tribal rivalries and counterrevolution.

But there’s also something that wouldn’t have existed without U.S. help: a chance of success. The Libyan resistance has been preparing for six months to assume power. The United States has access to and credibility with the incoming regime — another benefit of its military support. This remains, as it has always been, a Libyan struggle. But the United States can offer economic and political support. The key, as fighting ends, is to double down on U.S. commitment to a successful transition to peaceful, civilian rule. Such an outcome would certainly be in the U.S. interest.”