Libya has a short, volatile history. Foreigners§played a significant role in shaping Libya's institutions and policies, and this§book explores longer term trends in the relations between Libya and the West, placing current developments in their historical context. Throughout history, the globe's most§powerful actors have regarded Libya as an outlier state of little significance.§Libya belonged neither here nor there and never fell under the full protection§of any significant global or regional powerhouse. Libya's weak national§identity, its weak institutions and its peripheral position have made it§vulnerable to external influences and interventions. As a result, Libya§repeatedly falls prey to foreign powers wanting to flex their muscles. As this§book narrates, this was the case in 1911, in 2011 and several times in between.§