Ever since the 2011 ouster of Muammar Gaddafi, the international community, spearheaded by the local UN Mission, UNSMIL, has been seeking to nudge Libya toward rebirth as a functioning democracy. Against all predictions, Libyans elected two different parliaments. First, the General National Congress had the single task of producing a new constitution within a year. It failed spectacularly to achieve this. Instead, unused to the deals and compromises that underpin successful democracies, the legislators fell to in-fighting and boycotts while voting themselves fat salaries and expenses. In the end, with most of the bickering moderates absenting themselves, the GNC came to be dominated by the party allied to the Muslim Brotherhood. In an act which they must now deeply regret, the MB-dominated GNC voted for fresh elections for a brand new parliament, the House of Representatives. The result of the June 2014 vote was the defeat of all but a minority of the MB candidates. In desperation the MB set up an alliance of militias branding themselves as Libya Dawn, seized Tripoli and refused to accept the HOR which was forced to meet in Tobruk. The remnant of the GNC declared itself to be still the legitimate parliament and the Supreme Court meeting in the capital in a courtroom surrounded by gunmen, declared that the GNC's vote for new elections was in breach of its own rules because it lacked sufficient members for a proper vote. For the last 18 months the country has been split between the east and west. A complete breakdown of security in Libya Dawn areas saw virtually all foreign diplomatic missions relocate to Tunis after some embassies, including that of the Kingdom, were attacked. There has since been a steady collapse of everything in the rebel-held area, from power and health services to international airline connections and now the Libyan currency. For over a year UNSMIL has sought to broker a peace between the rival parliaments. Neither has, however, endorsed the Political Accord and Government of National Accord which emerged, of which Faiez Serraj is the prime minister designate. The international community met in Rome on Sunday to declare its support for the new government and promise substantial financial and organizational assistance. But the real international concern is the rising presence of Daesh (the self-proclaimed IS) in Libya. The declaration at the end of the Rome meeting included a promise of unspecified military assistance to help the Government of National Accord deal with the terrorists who control a 200km stretch of coast around Sirte and threaten to expand south into the oilfields. It now seems almost certain that the UN Security Council resolution authorizing the attacks on Daesh in Iraq and Syria will be used to clear air assaults on the terrorists in Libya. US reconnaissance drones have been in operation over Sirte for some months and have been joined recently by French and Italian aircraft. There is, however, no international appetite for boots on the ground, which is probably a good thing since nothing unites Libyans so much as outside interference. Yet airstrikes, while seriously degrading the Libyan terrorists, will not destroy them. That job would have to be left to Libyans themselves. Meanwhile, it is clear that a complete maritime blockade must be mounted to deprive the largely foreign terrorists of fresh weapons and recruits. Indeed, it is something of a mystery that this has not already been done.
