After situating the post-2011 Libyan conflict in its proper historical context and identifying the patterns behind the numerous earlier attempts to remove Qadhafi from power, this article then draws heavily on extensive, accessible new evidence to demonstrate how the 2011 ‘Arab Spring’ phenomenon was soon manipulated by external actors so as to provide diplomatic cover for the calculated dismantling of a Libyan regime that had remained largely resistant to the opening up of its economy to Western investment and could still count on a significant domestic support base. Furthermore, it is shown that by this stage the Libyan regime had not only failed to establish itself as a reliable partner in the US’ long-running ‘War on Terror’, but had actually emerged as one of the strongest voices opposing the expansion of NATO and US military power onto the African continent. Within this evidence-based framework, the article also reveals how the Western powers’ regime change agenda in Libya in 2011 was to a great extent shielded from public scrutiny, with some of the most significant and visible roles being assigned to key regional Arab allies. In this sense, mindful of the ongoing domestic backlash to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, and wary of further international criticism of their Middle East policies, the Western powers this time made sure to orchestrate better a web of compliant Arab proxies that could effectively provide most of the financing and on-the-ground logistical and intelligence support for those Libyans that were willing to oppose the regime, even if they were in a minority, and even if their ‘Arab Spring’ or ‘pro-democracy’ credentials were difficult to verify.

中文翻译：

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为什么穆阿迈尔·卡扎菲真的被撤职了？

在将 2011 年之后的利比亚冲突置于其适当的历史背景中，并确定了早期多次试图将卡扎菲从权力下台的企图背后的模式之后，本文大量利用广泛、可获取的新证据来证明 2011 年“阿拉伯之春”现象是如何发生的很快就被外部行为者操纵，以便为有计划的解散利比亚政权提供外交掩护，该政权在很大程度上仍然抵制向西方投资开放其经济，并且仍然可以依靠重要的国内支持基础。此外，事实表明，在这个阶段，利比亚政权不仅未能在美国长期开展的“反恐战争”中确立自己作为可靠伙伴的地位，但实际上已经成为反对北约和美国军事力量向非洲大陆扩张的最强烈声音之一。在这个以证据为基础的框架内，文章还揭示了 2011 年西方大国在利比亚的政权更迭议程如何在很大程度上不受公众监督，其中一些最重要和最明显的角色被分配给了关键的阿拉伯地区盟友。从这个意义上说，考虑到国内对 2003 年美国领导的入侵伊拉克的持续反对，并警惕国际社会对其中东政策的进一步批评，这一次西方列强确保更好地协调一个由顺从的阿拉伯代理人组成的网络可以有效地为那些愿意反对该政权的利比亚人提供大部分资金和实地后勤和情报支持，