>>44
Inflation is something that sneaks up on a country. Couple that with the government severing relations with foreign businesses when they decided to rob the oil companies without warning, and you have an eventual economical disaster waiting to happen.
Yes, the oil companies gave the percentage Gaddafi demanded, which he then put into his own pocket, giving a pretty much undiclosed portion of it to the people. Overthrowing Gaddafi doesn't mean that the government has to cease their control of the oil wells. Now they're free to negotiate much better deals, but this time without it feeding state corruption.
As for assassinations, 1980-1987 Gaddafi succeeded in assassinating 25 political opponents OUTSIDE of Libya, in 37 attacks:
http://articles.latimes.com/1987-07-18/news/mn-604_1_amnesty-international
"Gaddafi and his revolutionary guard went public in March 1980 declaring that “the masses have the right to liquidate their enemies at home and abroad”."
http://english.libya.tv/2011/04/16/gaddafi’s-history-of-intimidation-and-assassinations/
There is also a list there of all the victims.
After this he continued harassing his own people in pretty much the same way.
Democratic rights does not mean american rights. In fact America has a poor record of democratic rights.
Gaddafi is a much, MUCH bigger evil than al-Qaeda has ever been. Al-Qaeda is pretty much muslim Hells Angels. That America appointed this group as its number one enemy, has been laughable. That America had to completely flatten entire cities in its war against this gang, is both hilarous and tragic.
So what you're worried about here, is not whether or not Libya gets a democratic society, but whether or not the people would want to vote for "the right party" or not. Personally I like Hamas. Anyone who hates Israels theocracy is okay by me, and there is nothing better that a militant organisation can do, than to get political instead. If Al-Qaeda would win an election somewhere, and run a country with the honest support of its people, then I'd applaud it. No matter who wins, at least the people has a choice.
>Technically, Somali has democratic government. In fact, the legitimate democratic government controls less than a half of just one city.
Are you saying that a democracy will be more powerless than Gaddafis rule?