Update

Judges of Libya’s supreme court discuss the legitimacy of the country’s internationally recognised parliament during a hearing on November 6, 2014 in Tripoli (AFP Photo/Mahmud Turkia)

My two articles this week serve as an update for recent events. Time magazine reported on Libya’s Supreme Court’s ruling that the elected parliament is invalid. The parliament dismisses these claims due their belief that the verdict was influenced by the threat of militant arms. The Clarion Project article reported the most recent clash between groups at the Mitiga airport, the primary airport since Tripoli International was closed due to damages.

If nothing else we can assume from these two articles that the Libyan crisis is escalating tremendously. Like in Syria the Islamic militant groups are working to feed their power by dominating the most strategic parts of the country with the mentality that if they control all major ports, airports, and oil revenue, they can eventually gain control of Libya as a whole. They are also aiming to undermine the elected parliament in any way they can in order to gain support from civilians and fuel their popularity by exploiting the weak, instilling a false consciousness in Libyans that supporting Islamic politics and Sharia Law is the only way to peace and order. The struggle for power between the two opposing sides is moving closer to a point of no return, at this point both sides are so transfixed on the state of war, any notion of compromise or negotiation is unfathomable.

 

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