The weekend's celebration of the second anniversary of the revolution passed off without major incident, perhaps in part due to the increased security put in place at the borders.
In a speech in Benghazi to mark the event, President Mohammed Magariaf [Magarief] appealed to the people of Libya to renew their commitment to a secure and peaceful society, and to reject corruption, racism and violence.
But how long does it take to "normalise" a country after 40 years of dictatorship? Of course there is no definite answer to this question, and the circumstances of every country are different, but one dedicated Libya-watcher made a prediction:
In a lecture last week in London, Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor of the UK's Channel 4 News, and author of Sandstorm: Libya in the Time of Revolution, said it could take decades for Libya to become a functioning state.
Is this too pessimistic? In fairness, it has to be noted that she said 'could' rather than 'will', and certainly without inspired leadership, international help and some basic good luck, there is possibility that anarchy and lawlessness could continue far into the future.
But it doesn't have to be that way, and a concerted effort could see Libya become a prosperous and secure society in a much shorter time.
How long do you think it will take? Please let us know your views in the Comments section below.
