CNN - Libya's tribes rise up against Gadhafi

Soon after the Libyan rebellion escalated, a senior member of the nation's powerful Warfallah tribe announced it would no longer support Moammar Gadhafi, saying that "he is no longer a brother."…

One after another, Libya's myriad tribes are falling in line against Gadhafi, and the implications are enormous, said longtime observers of Libya, because for centuries, tribes have formed the backbone of the North African nation.

"Libyans have a strong loyalty to tribe," said Philip Carl Salzman, a McGill University professor of anthropology and author of "Culture and Conflict in the Middle East."

"A tribe provides welfare in times of need," he said. "They have a collective responsibility." If one member of a tribe is attacked, the reaction is to help or exact vengeance, Salzman said. Tribes are especially involved in resolving family disputes.