The Daily Star Editorial

In Libya, something is coming to an end. Agreeing upon a name for this “something” isn’t easy, since this particular component of 2011 in the Arab world has been termed many things: revolution, revolt, war and uprising, for example.
But whatever name one uses, one type of struggle is coming to an end, while the new phase that Libya is entering has no such ambiguity. It is a time for nation-building.

Libya in the post-Gadhafi era will attract many “friends,” with differing degrees of good intentions behind them. The Libyans can do nothing about the fact that they represent an important oil-producing country; they will receive a considerable amount of advice from these friends, because of these oil resources.

However, this is the 21st century, and a particular moment in the 21st century. Western and industrial countries are mired in a deep economic crisis, and have little money to spare for overseas assistance. They will not “enter” a post-war Libyan economy in the mood for spending huge amounts of money on wasteful oil deals.
The Libyans should realize that oil is no longer a get-rich-quick scheme, particularly in an age of rising environmental concerns that are encouraging the world to look in other directions for their energy supplies.

The new Libyan leaders will face a series of huge challenges as they take over power; most importantly, they will have to govern a polity, economy and society that have deteriorated over recent years.
The former “rebels” will have to prove to the world that they are not thugs, or undisciplined militiamen, to fight one common portrayal that has emerged during their war against Gadhafi.

Their military mission is now concluding, and while their next mission will undoubtedly involve “security” tasks, the true success of the Libyan uprising will lie in the transition from a country run by a mafia to one run by citizens.
The new leaders will have to rebuild Libya’s state, after decades of bizarre decentralization that did little to help society and the economy develop.

An entire education system was harmed by Gadhafi’s ideological constraints, while a policy of divide and rule kept regions, tribes and ethnic groups in line; the new leaders shoulder a huge responsibility to ensure a climate and practice of pluralism and freedom.
They must exchange the tools of war for those of building a state, and should be aware that the world will be watching them, just as it is watching what became of the dramatic toppling of leaders in Libya’s neighbors, Tunisia and Egypt.

The Libyans can certainly ask for the assistance of others, but they have figures who appear to be realistic and accurate when discussing the problems their country faces. The task now is to turn this wisdom into policies and choices that generate feasible and effective solutions to the state that Gadhafi leaves behind.