A Cadmean Victory: Libya's Intractable Struggle for Governance

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explain the factors that contribute to the outbreak and persistence of the civil war in Libya. Libyas tribal and colonial past, the Arab Spring upheaval, and the more recent injection of outside forces are examined to identify the factors most salient to explain the civil wars continuance. It places the war in an international context by examining the role of foreign and regional actors. Furthermore, this thesis explores the ways in which U.S. interests are affected by this seemingly unresolvable crisis, affecting a country that has not featured prominently in international affairs. Finally, the thesis addresses why the United States and other international actors should care about what happens in Libya, what is at stake in the Libyan civil war and why it is important to resolve it, and what steps are most likely needed to do so.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2020
Accession Number
AD1114673

Entities

People

  • Eric J. Mattison

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Civil War
  • Counterterrorism
  • European Union
  • Geography
  • Governments
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • Political Movements
  • Political Systems
  • Societies
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • History
  • Sociology

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.