Libya Article Analysis

By Harrison Golden

Despite increased loyalist counterattacks, government protesters in Libya remain determined and united against longtime dictator Colonel Moammar al-Gadhafi and his government.

1. In The New York Times article “Battle in Libya for Strategic Town Kills At Least 13,” David D. Kirkpatrick describes the aspects of the ongoing Libya conflict that relate to hard news. He details about Moammar al-Gadhafi and his growing counterattack against protesters, primarily in the city of Zawiya, where tensions are growing between the loyalists and the rebel forces. Kirkpatrick also aims to direct the reader’s attention to the people fighting on the ground. In addition to providing detail regarding the tangible fighting, damages, and casualties, he gives voices to the witnesses of the difficult events. In doing this, not only does Kirkpatrick shed light on the lesser-known issues, such as loyalist firing at ambulances, but he also does it in such as way that provides the story with perspective, keeping the story’s crucial aspects in tact.

2. In the article “Joy, Lust for Revenge in ‘Free Libya,’” written by staff members of the website Monsters and Critics, readers are made more able to see within the lives and struggles of the everyday Libyan people. The story consists primarily of descriptions and profiles of the protesters, many of whom have spent their entire lives fighting to establish a freer nation for themselves. Although the writers of the article are not given, their ability to collaborate and interview a variety of people, including Abdulhamid Abu Baker, a 53 year old who spent time as a prisoner in the early 1980s for plotting against Gadhafi’s government. The way that the writers provide well-roundedness to their profiles, detailing the lives of the Libyan people and the lengths of their struggles, allows for the creation of a distinct forum to discuss the potential for a successful revolution from the bottom up.

3. In the Politico opinion piece “U.S. Needs A Low Profile In Libya,” writer Ted Galen Carpenter details the potential disadvantages of the civil war in Libya, were outside nations such as the United States to get involved. Furthermore, he describes his argument for a laissez-faire foreign policy in a way that appeals to both sides of the political spectrum, writing “The uprisings in the Middle East are proving frustrating for both neoconservatives and liberal hawks.” Most specifically, he states that in light of this war, Americans should unite in their knowledge that few Libyans are seeking American intervention. While this article dominates in giving many of the key points of this issue, points that are currently on the minds of many Americans right now, Carpenter fails to provide readers with engaging quotes or outside perspectives. Rather, he is merely creating a series of bullet points that, while relatable to most, if not all readers, is nothing that active citizens have not seen before. This piece, while intriguing in its subject matter and its widespread relevance, does not contribute much, if anything, original to the ongoing conversation.