Fathi Al-Shibli is the head of the Voice of the People Party. He commented on remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio affirmed that Libya is not Somalia, Lebanon, Yemen, or Venezuela. Al-Shibli believes this is not a casual remark. It is not a neutral diplomatic description. It is a political statement carrying significant implications. He said it deserves serious attention. Al-Shibli made these comments to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
Al-Shibli believes the statement’s danger is not in the comparison itself. The danger is in solidifying Libya’s name. It becomes a “ready reference for chaos and collapse.” This enters the international political lexicon.
Al-Shibli explained his view. When a country is said “not to be like Libya,” Libya is no longer known for its own identity. Instead, it serves as a cautionary model. This model is invoked to justify policies. It is also used to reassure specific audiences. He added that this leads to a loss of Libya’s sovereign meaning. The country’s image is reduced to a “politically and media-produced” stereotype.
Al-Shibli also recalled remarks by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in 2020. Tebboune spoke of parties trying to arm Libyan tribes. This could lead to “Libya’s Somalia-fication.” It could also create a scenario similar to Syria. Al-Shibli noted that placing Libya alongside Syria suggests chaos is an “inevitable fate.” However, he believes Libya did not descend into civil war like Syria. It did not experience sectarian division. Its collapse was not inevitable. This was true “but for intensive international and regional interventions.”
Al-Shibli considers something even more dangerous than external rhetoric. It is the normalization of this description internally. He believes Libyan politicians and media repeat these comparisons. They do it in defense or justification. This unconsciously helps solidify the image. This image was “created about us abroad.” It transforms into a “distorted national consciousness.”