Libyans mark third anniversary of revolution with bitterness
Three years on from anti-Gaddafi uprising, nation a lawless quagmire
As Libya prepares to commemorate three years since the uprising that ousted and killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi, the country is haunted by a nightmare of lawlessness that has overshadowed people's dreams of a better life.
Tomorrow marks the start of the February 17 revolution, when angry residents of the eastern city of Benghazi took to the streets to protest against Gaddafi's four-decade rule.
Gaddafi reacted violently, touching off a Nato-backed war that devastated much of the country, killed thousands and led to his capture and killing by rebels eight months later.
Ahead of the anniversary, the United Nations has expressed grave concern about the course Libya is taking.
It called on Libyans of all political stripes "to rise above partisan interests and ... work by all means to prevent inflaming tensions, which could lead the country to slide into lawlessness and chaos".
Sadly, however, lawlessness and chaos are already everyday concerns. The latest example came on Friday, when the government and armed forces denied rumours of an impending coup after a retired general called for parliament and the government to be suspended.
How that could have been taken seriously is difficult to understand, as the post-Gaddafi government has never built an army capable of providing minimum security, much less run the country on its own.