It would seem that America's newest war in Libya is supposedly coming to an end as rebels have now entered the capitol city of Tripoli.  So what should America and the rest of the world expect to see from Libya?

One thing I think we can safely assume is that, like Iraq and Afganistan, when this war is declared "over" it will not be over.  Gaddafi remains at large, and the media has reported the man still has many supporters.  Another thing to consider is that these rebels have just entered the capitol and could very well lose control of it to pro-Gaddafi fighters, or face a population which does not recongize their control and takes up arms against them.  

In what I believe to be the United States government's hope, we may see a new, pro-American regime put in place.  Our military has actively supported the rebel's cause through bombs, CIA assistance, and by spending nearly a billion dollars on the operation.  Since we do not provide these things to just anyone and everyone (though it may seem like we do), I suspect the Obama Adminstration expects something in return for all of their assistance.  

What we will receive in return, however, I doubt will be remotely worth the intervention.  To begin with, we still do not have a clear picture of who the rebels we are aiding are.  Just like in Afganistan, and Vietnam, I fear we are funding another group of people who will become our enemies down the road.  We have all likely heard by this point that some are men that fought against Americans in Iraq or supported Al-Qaida, and we have no idea what kind of government they wish to force upon the people of Libya.  It could be another start to an oppressive regime the likes of which took over Iran after we installed the Shah in place of the elected government in the 1950s.  

On our front, we must also wonder what the consequences will be and how blowback will effect us this time.  Many people have suffered from this war and are fully aware that the United States played a role in their misery.  This could stir even more anti-Americanism in a region already full of it.  A worst case scenario would be an anti-American government takes over.  

At this point, this is of course all speculation, but the outlook in the context of our other Middle Eastern misadventures doesn't look good. Sadly, I believe Libya will become another example of blowback that we will use to argue against future interventions around the world.