Wednesday, June 03, 2020

Libya Continues to Burn

Remember how the Obama administration learned the "lesson" of Iraq that America should have knocked off Saddam in 2003 and then stayed out to let Iraqis sort out their differences without our problematic presence?

In 2011 the administration led (from behind!) the NATO war on Khadaffi, leading  to his killing by locals, and followed by staying the Hell out. Since then we've been killing jihadis there when they get too clumped together.

And in this year Turkish and Russian intervention is threatening more escalation of the sporadic fighting and general unrest in the civil war that has plagued Libya since the downfall of the Khadaffi regime:

Backed by the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Egypt with arms, mercenaries and air strikes, according to U.N. experts, Haftar had last summer advanced into Tripoli's southern suburbs before his offensive stalled.

However, aid from Turkey helped turn the tide with air defences and drone strikes that neutralised LNA air power before hammering its ground troops and long supply lines this month. ...

It led, over the past month, to the LNA's sudden loss of a string of towns near the Tunisian border, a crucial air base, a dozen of its own air defence systems and most of its foothold in Tripoli. With them went Haftar's hopes of victory.

Over the same period, Russian military personnel have delivered some 14 MiG 29 and Su-24 fighter jets to the LNA's Jufra air base in central Libya, the U.S. military said this week. They are aircraft that could again turn the tide of war.

On the other hand, before we got involved in 2011 I didn't think we had any interest in fighting in Libya over Khadaffi. Although it was hardly immoral to overthrow his dictatorship. And killing jihadis as ISIL tried to set up shop was justified.

But I really don't see the point of either Turkey or Russia getting involved. Egypt I can understand not wanting chaos on their western border where jihadis can camp out and enter Egypt.

Anyway, that so-called lesson of how America's help causes violence was BS at the time and it is clearly BS now.

UPDATE: Libya will continue to burn:

Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has declared itself in full control of Tripoli after recapturing the capital's airport.

Gen Khalifa Haftar's forces have been besieging the city since April 2019.

But intensified military support from Turkey helped government forces drive Gen Haftar's forces back from the frontlines.

The GNA supports Islamists. Naturally the UN backs it. Hiftar screwed up by giving the GNA time rather than trying to quickly defeat the GNA when Hiftar's (Haftar's) LNA had the advantage.

The caution was false compassion.