Libya with Andrew

In this episode of 'It Could Happen Here,' host Andrew Sage examines the aftermath of the 2011 NATO-led intervention in Libya, tracing the country's descent into prolonged civil conflict and humanitarian crisis. Beginning with the Arab Spring uprisings against Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule, Sage critiques the Western narrative of humanitarian intervention, revealing how the U.S., UK, and France—despite previously selling weapons to Gaddafi—used UN Resolution 1973 to justify bombing campaigns under the guise of protecting civilians. The intervention led to Gaddafi’s overthrow and execution, but instead of stability, Libya descended into chaos, with competing governments, foreign-backed militias, and ongoing violence. The episode details how the National Transitional Council (NTC) and later the Government of National Accord (GNA) failed to unify the country, while regional powers like Turkey, Russia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia backed opposing factions. The humanitarian toll is staggering: over 900,000 displaced, thousands killed, and the rise of open slave markets targeting Black African migrants. A 2023 flood in Derna, exacerbated by neglected infrastructure, killed at least 4,000, underscoring how war cripples disaster resilience. Sage argues that the West’s imperialist motives—particularly over Libya’s oil wealth—undermined any genuine liberation, leaving the people worse off. He also challenges the reductive portrayal of the Arab Spring as ideologically monolithic, emphasizing its diverse, grassroots origins and the danger of oversimplifying complex movements.