egafd.com

So as joyful Libyans celebrate the storming of Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli and it would appear that the rebels are in control of much of the country, what will Libya be like in one year's time?

Democracy? Another dictatorship? Chaos without any group in overall control? Involvement of Nato "peacekeepers" on the ground in Libya? Huge rebuilding/infrastructure contracts placed with the US, France, UK etc?

Any forumites care to make a prediction?

Cheers
D

David, I dread to think what Libya will be like in a year, but I predict Nato will have peacekeeping troops on the ground to try and stop fighting between different religions (or groups of the same religion).
I also think al Qaida may have just found a new country to use for training.
And I think the people of Tripoli can expect at least one car bomb a month just to keep them on their toes.
Hope I am wrong.

You'd be a fool to predict anything. Sometimes emancipated peoples are like dogs being let off the lead for the first time. The unshackling can go to their head and they can become out of control.

I'd like to think that the UK, France, the US and Nato have taken on board how badly we handled post-Saddam Iraq and learnt valuable lessons.

Right now I get the impression that the people of Libya wanted Gaddafi out and the right to have more of a say how Libya is run (ie: democracy). This was an essential step in that direction.

Never try and predict the future, you'll sure to be wrong.
At times like this, with a tyrannical regime and its lickspittles getting their just deserts, I wonder what will become of the three secret policemen who escorted our film crew round the country when I visited Libya 20 years ago. Such polite chaps, mostly chemical engineering graduates from Loughborough Uni, eager to catch up on the Street, Square and Close soap-opera news so lacking in their current tv viewing, ever happy to stop locals spoiling our shot, have a street closed, get us the best table in a restaurant, etc. Nothing was too much trouble. I'd hate to think of them hanging from a lamp-post.

The Libyan rebels appear to be a positive lot.I wish them well.They seem decent,well intentioned and hopeful.

Hi
Now look guys you don't have to take this making predictions lark quite so seriously. You can make a prediction and as you rightly point out it can be totally wrong and you can indeed be daft to make one.

However, the entire UK betting industry is based on making predictions so think of the question as a political equivalent of the Grand National i.e. a once in a year flutter.

No-one gets hurt by your getting a prediction right or wrong in a year's time. Though, of course, you will receive the kudos of being viewed as a demi-god by your fellow forumites for coming closest to the reality!

Cheers
D

Ok. I predict that the Swiss will invade Libya, enslave it's people and force them to work in sweatshops so they can mass produce cuckoo clocks for a demanding Chinese market.

The Chinese think cuckoo clocks are the best thing since river bread.