libya military intervention – European Affairs Magazine

Libya still without national unity government

Not even today. After that HoR representatives failed to attend vote for national unity government, also on March 8 UN Peace Deal is still pending.

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Since several weeks, Western countries are waiting for national unity government to intervene in Libya. And while Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi denied a military operation without Libyan approval, today the New York Times reports that the White House has a plan to immediately go in Libya to stop ISIS expansion.

Indeed United States, France and United Kingdom are on the ground since at least one months. So Italy, after the verbal crossfire between Renzi and the US ambassador John R. Philips, must decide soon if it wants to lead international coalition or if it wants to be slipped away.
Giacomo Pratali

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Libya: what’s the real role of Italy?

4 Febbraio 2016 Politics di

Syria more than Libya was the main topic during the Rome meeting of the anti-ISIS Small Group on February 2. Summit was held chaired by US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni, the summit was attended by 23 foreign ministers, including the EU Representative Federica Mogherini.

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During the press conference after meeting, Kerry told about a global battle against Daesh in Syria, Iraq and Libya: “This theater of war will be longer, more than a war between two states”. He excluded the possibility of a ground intevention of US armed forces, but ensured logistical and training supports when new Libyan government will approve international military operation. Moreover, Secretary of State remembered that Italy is “one of the most active countries anti-ISIS”.

And Libya? Political impasse to create new government in Tripoli is not only favoring once again
the radicalization of Daesh, but is causing knock-out effects. Risk is only one: Western countries could repeat the same error of 2011 if did not wait for new government approval for military intervention.

As revealed by the Sunday Times, intelligences of the United Kingdom, United States and France would be active at a base near Tobruk, where they are already planning interventions on the ground and the introduction of a permanent headquarters. So, what this possibile UN military intervention really is? A support to local forces? Several bomb raid? Or even a ground intervention?

Last December, writing to his Italian counterpart Roberta Pinotti, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said: “I hope that Italy will take part in raid against Islamic State. “ Conflicting words compared with Kerry and Gentiloni recent statements.

Ultimately, this summit did not change anything about Libyan crisis. Moreover, this deadlock could relegate Italy to subordinate role during the probably UN military intervention.
Giacomo Pratali

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