Libya, a fear realized

The escalating tension between protesters and powerful militia in the new Libya, which has seen violence that is "undermining the very foundations of the fledgling state", is put in perspective. The current situation represents a fear realized, and for the sake of the safety and well being of ordinary Libyans, calls for a focus that goes beyond merely seeing this as 'Libya's problem'. A situation of instability has been created, and its entrenchment neither bodes well for Libya nor the wider international community.