What does the occupation of Tripoli by Libyan rebel forces tell us? Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center, said Libya confirms that the role of external actors (in this case, the United States and Europe) can still be decisive in the Arab struggle for freedom.

First, some Libyans that joined Al-Qaida and were then locked up by the United States at Guantanamo Bay joined the rebel forces after release and set up their own semi-independent military groups.

The US knew this. But because overthrowing the Muammar Gadhafi government is a task of top priority for Washington, the US did not demand the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) disarm these fighters. Even though it was reported that Abdel Fattah Younes, the rebel commander, was killed by these people, the US and other Western countries have taken the stance that "yesterday's enemy" are "today's allies".