Libya 2.0

The Libyans were the most inspirational during “Arab Spring.”  They didn’t protest, they fought.  They toppled their dictator, as did others, but Libyans pulled the ancien regime out by the roots, unlike the Egyptians. Elections in Egypt produced a Muslim Brotherhood-dominated legislature—which the old regime-military voided—and a Muslim Brotherhood president with few powers the military was willing to grant him.

The Libyans held their own elections this weekend and international observers deemed them fair. To the surprise of all the Muslim Brotherhood was defeated. The New York Times headline was “Election Results in Libya Break an Islamist Wave;” In the Wall Street Journal, “Liberals Seem to Have Edge over Islamists.” 

Libya was not seen as fertile soil for democracy much less moderation when compared with Egypt. Why would that be?  Libya was too “tribal,” the experts said (And the experts may yet be proved right (they’re experts)). Was that code for too “African?”  Maybe. Partly also because Qaddafi was so crazy it was hard to take Libya seriously. On what evidence were hopes so high for Egypt?  My God, when Mubarak resigned Thomas L. Friedman exclaimed of the protesters “They Did It!” and wrote “postcards” from “Free Egypt.”  It was irrational exuberance and a couple of months after “they did it” Egypt was a “mess,” the word is that of Friedman’s colleague Nicholas D. Kristof. Why? Partly because American experts have had so much dealing with the Egyptians since brokering the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. Partly because of the past, the long past, “The Glory That Was Ancient Egypt.” Partly because Egypt has always been seen as the straw that stirs the drink in Arabia: The "United Arab Republic" (temporarily) united Egypt and Syria under Nasser.

I saw fight in the Libyans; Maybe when you take up arms against your own government you want democracy more? I wish I could say that I predicted this but I didn’t. Never gave much thought to Libya after the rebels captured "Fingers." I just admired the Libyan fighters.

The leader of the winning coalition in Libya’s election is that man at top, Mahmoud Jibril. Like Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi, Jibril is Western educated, masters and Ph.D from the University of Pittsburgh and taught political science at "Pitt" (If Jibril becomes head of state he will be the second in history with significant ties to Pennsylvania, the first being James Buchanan). Sayyid Qutb and Song Binbin were American educated too so that doesn’t mean much; Neither America nor the West has benefited much from such student-exchange. 
Jibril and his National Forces Alliance however did a very unusual thing the night of their victory: they didn’t claim victory. Jibril said “there are no winners, only Libya.”  When was the last time you heard anything like that from an election victor?  That is modesty. You need modesty in a democracy, your're not all-powerful, you're going to lose some, compromise is essential. Modesty is very becoming in a leader.