Dirk Vandewalle is one of only a handful of scholars to have frequently visited Libya over the last four decades. Here he tracks Libya's story from the 1900s to the Italian occupation in the early twentieth century, through the Sanusi monarchy and, thereafter, to the revolution of 1969 and the accession of Qadhafi. Chapters analyse the economics and politics of Qadhafi's revolution, offering insights into the man and his ideology as reflected in his Green Book. This updated edition includes coverage of the period 2003–2011, as Libya finally came in from the cold after years of political and economic isolation. The agreement to give up a weapons of mass destruction program paved the way for improved relations with the West. By this time, though, Qadhafi had lost support at home and, despite attempts to liberalize the economy, real structural reform proved impossible. This, coupled with tribal rivalries, regional division and a general lack of unity, paved the way for revolution and civil war.

The Arab Spring captivated the planet. Mass action overthrew Tunisia's Ben Ali and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak. The revolutionary wave spread to the far corners of the Arab world, from Morocco to Bahrain. People power produced this wave and continued to ride it out. In Libya though, social forces began to rebel against Qaddafi but were weak. In came the French, the US and UK forces, ushering in a Libyan winter that cast its shadow over the Arab Spring. This succinct, timely analysis situates the assault on Libya in the context of Middle Eastern revolt in 2011.

This book, part of the Opposing Viewpoints series, emphasizes human rights in Libya. Through its use of essays from a variety of experts on the Middle East, particularly Libya, this book poses questions and answers in a thought-provoking way.