Multiple challenges ahead of Libya

Islam Times: Meanwhile, many are waiting to see how the Libyan revolution will progress in the coming months.

Many experts remain skeptical about NATO's mission in Libya after Gaddafi.

Press TV has interviewed with William Cook, professor at University of La Verne, to share his opinion on this issue.

Press TV: The end of one of the darkest periods of history for the Libyan people, the death of Muammar Gaddafi, if you consider that to be true what lies ahead now for the new Libya? Is there still a lot of challenges ahead for these people?

Cook: There are many challenges ahead for the Libyan people and let me point out first that there is a great accomplishment when you have been oppressed for 42 years by a dictator and you on the lower end of the treatment that whoever accomplished the impossible to remove a dictator from power and open a door to a new future with promise and great expectation. But having said that, this was possible because the people of Libya really will not when this began way back months ago, upon a year seeking help from the outside and they did receive it ultimately from the West in the form of NATO and US, French, English and Italian aid. This fact will determine whether or not the Libyan people control their future or the West. Is the fall of a dictator merely a means to ensure Western control of Libya's resources or replacement of a dictator with a modified form of control or was the altruism of the West really that? I think that is where the issue rests at the moment. We do not have an answer for that yet.

Press TV: So if they want it or not, we know of course that the West has gotten involved and we are seeing of course the military side of that with NATO in Libya. What do you think will happen to the NATO mission?

Cook: Well the NATO mission will be stabilized I believe on the Libyan soil in order to ensure that the forces that were loyal, do not drift into the desert and then come back in the form of reactionary forces against, let's say the NTC if that is group that is going to remain in control. But there are many rebel forces that are not friendly to NTC anymore that they were to Gaddafi.

So there is going to be a reaction taking place from now to the next month or two to see what is going to transpire and which forces will gain the upper hand in Libya in order to work with the international community that is going to provide them with the money of unlocking the money from the sources where had been placed under Gaddafi regime so they can be used for the building or rebuilding of Libya.

Press TV: When we are speaking about the threats that maybe coming as you see it there from rebels sorts of speak, or from those forces who could still remain royal to the previous regime and launch attacks on the new government in Libya. Now the question would be when you say the NATO will at least try to stabilize its presence there and help in this transition process at least in facing the threats of the militants, do you think however that NATO or the United States for instance has the resources and the interests to stay on, for instance for a prolonged period of time that couldn't itself lead to another crisis in Libya?

Cook: Well the last part of your question is very real and it is unknown. However it is known that the attempts even early on in March for oil contracts and gas contracts with Italy and with France, when first announced became hot buttons. They were things which were being raised as almost controlling elements in order to get NATO support for going against Gaddafi. They tried to back off of those things although there were letters out with threaten statements that deals have been made up to 35 percent deals with France for oil contracts.

This is something that neither Italy or France or England or United States will let go of now that Gaddafi is gone they will want a good sizeable chunk of the oil reserve and you are talking about largest oil reserves in Africa, 46 percent. This is serious resources for the West and since they were responsible for making this possible they are not going to simply back away.

They will try to ensure that the view of Libya is the view of the people that they build against the dictator and that they are looking forward to and creating their government that will be democratic but the reality of how much support they can get and whether they will get the support in the first place will depend on how cooperative they will be with the West.