Comment by somenameforme

Libya wasn't even remotely close to a failed state under Ghadaffi. Under Ghadaffi they had the highest gdp/capita and life expectancy in all of Africa, the highest human development index, lowest infant mortality, and more. Ghadaffi was working to create a unified African bloc to make Africa itself something of a geopolitical power. He was even working towards creating the 'African Gold Dinar' which was to be a gold backed currency which could replace the dollar in international exchange.

And he went quite quickly from being called a "critical partner in the fight against terror" to being overthrown and summarily murdered by US backed extremists, leaving Libya in a complete state of turmoil and deterioration, and even seeing the rise of organized slavery. [1] 'Regime change' in a nutshell.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Libya#Slavery_in_th...