Arab Spring, Libyan Winter

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. It seemed as if all the authoritarian states would finally be freed, even those of the Arabian Peninsula. People’s power had produced this wave, and continued to ride it out. In Libya, though, the new world order had different ideas. Social forces opposed to Muammar Qaddafi had begun to rebel, but they were weak. In came the French and the United States, with promises of glory. A deal followed with the Saudis, who then sent in their own forces to cut down the Bahraini revolution, and NATO began its assault, ushering in a Libyan Winter that cast its shadow over the Arab Spring. This brief, timely analysis situates the assault on Libya in the context of the winds of revolt that swept through the Middle East in the Spring of 2011. Vijay Prashad explores the recent history of the Qaddafi regime, the social forces who opposed him, and the role of the United Nations, NATO, and the rest of the world's superpowers in the bloody civil war that ensued. **Vijay Prashad** is the George and Martha Kellner Chair of South Asian History, and professor and director of international studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books, including __Karma of Brown Folk__ and, most recently, __The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World__.

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. It seemed as if all the authoritarian states would finally be freed, even those of the Arabian Peninsula. People’s power had produced this wave, and continued to ride it out.

In Libya, though, the new world order had different ideas. Social forces opposed to Muammar Qaddafi had begun to rebel, but they were weak. In came the French and the United States, with promises of glory. A deal followed with the Saudis, who then sent in their own forces to cut down the Bahraini revolution, and NATO began its assault, ushering in a Libyan Winter that cast its shadow over the Arab Spring.

This brief, timely analysis situates the assault on Libya in the context of the winds of revolt that swept through the Middle East in the Spring of 2011. Vijay Prashad explores the recent history of the Qaddafi regime, the social forces who opposed him, and the role of the United Nations, NATO, and the rest of the world's superpowers in the bloody civil war that ensued.

Vijay Prashad is the George and Martha Kellner Chair of South Asian History, and professor and director of international studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books, including Karma of Brown Folk and, most recently, The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World.

Title Page ......Page 1 Copyright ......Page 2 Dedication / Epigraphs ......Page 3 Openings ......Page 5 I. Bread......Page 9 II. Dignity......Page 14 III. God......Page 23 IV. Ben Ali and Mubarak Go to the Seaside......Page 35 V. Bagman of the Empire......Page 38 VI. Edicts of the Status Quo......Page 43 VI. On the Rim of Saudi......Page 64 VII. The Arab NATO......Page 83 VIII. The Arab Spring......Page 88 I. The Bang That Ends Qaddafi’s Rule......Page 91 II. Qaddafi’s Revolution......Page 99 III. Revolution within the Revolution......Page 123 IV. Libya’s Million Mutinies......Page 148 V. Intervention......Page 160 IV. NATO’s War......Page 205 V. The Son et Lumiére at Sirte......Page 228 VI. Aftermath......Page 231 Closings......Page 249 Acknowledgements......Page 253 Index......Page 256 Front Matter 1 Title Page 1 Copyright 2 Dedication / Epigraphs 3 Openings 5 Part I - Arab Spring 9 I. Bread 9 II. Dignity 14 III. God 23 IV. Ben Ali and Mubarak Go to the Seaside 35 V. Bagman of the Empire 38 VI. Edicts of the Status Quo 43 VI. On the Rim of Saudi 64 VII. The Arab NATO 83 VIII. The Arab Spring 88 Part 2 - Libyan Winter 91 I. The Bang That Ends Qaddafi’s Rule 91 II. Qaddafi’s Revolution 99 III. Revolution within the Revolution 123 IV. Libya’s Million Mutinies 148 V. Intervention 160 IV. NATO’s War 205 V. The Son et Lumiére at Sirte 228 VI. Aftermath 231 Closings 249 Acknowledgements 253 Index 256 Discusses the wave of popular rebellion against governments in Arab nations during the Spring of 2011. This brief, timely analysis situates the assault on Libya in the context of the winds of revolt that swept through the Middle East in the Spring of 2011