Libya's ruling council handed over power to a newly elected national assembly on Wednesday in the North African country's first peaceful transition of power in its modern history but which comes amid heightened violence.
Having lots of armed groups that at best are only nominally obedient to the central government will challenge what the new government can do.
But it is a good start to rule of law.
Don't despair that the Arab Spring didn't match the hopes of watching Twittering protesters take to the streets for democracy. They may not represent the near future, but they represent the seeds of what might actually lead to democracy:
Something irreversible did happen in the Arab Spring. Whatever ups and downs may follow, we are witnessing the beginning of a process by which democratization is becoming rooted in Arab societies. Democratization is very much a process in this case—not a program of government implemented by deepdyed democrats.
It is a mistake to believe that the alternative to the messy progress of the Arab Spring (that will see many backward steps along the way) is the false stability of autocrats willing to hold the masses in check (even as the governments fan the flames of Islamism to support their autocratic rule--that requires the people to be checked).
They need our help to keep moving forward.
