The Rise of Gaddafi: From Rebel to Ruler

This chapter chronicles the early life of Muammar Gaddafi, detailing his challenging childhood, tribal identity, and burgeoning revolutionary spirit. It emphasizes his transition from a defiant student to a military leader orchestrating a bloodless coup, reshaping Libya’s governance with sweeping reforms. As Gaddafi establishes his authoritarian regime, the chapter highlights the contradictions of his rule, including the suppression of freedoms juxtaposed with his socialist and Islamic ideologies encapsulated in the 'Green Book.'