US Africa Command should attack Daesh ‘backup’ on its own
US President Barack Obama's nominee to head the Africa Command says the forces in Libya should be able to carry out strikes against Daesh on their own.
US Marine Lieutenant General Thomas Waldhauser made the comments during a confirmation hearing in the US Senate on Tuesday.
In response to a question by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on whether Obama should give the commander of the Africa Command the authority to attack Daesh in Africa "on your own," Waldhauser said: "It would be wise."
He described Libya as a “kind of a backup [for Daesh] if Iraq and Syria fail," further admitting before the Senate Armed Services Committee that he is “not aware of any overall grand strategy at this point” to defeat the terrorists.
Waldhauser noted that Daesh in Libya could “eventually” launch an attack on Europe, while the African country’s alliances could shift among various factions, which could endanger the country’s unity government or Government of National Accord (GNA).
“The unpredictable nature of paramilitary group patronage will most likely remain a significant obstacle to the GNA's efforts to establish sovereignty," he said in written testimony.
Daesh has been taking advantage of the chaos embroiling in Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow and death of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The oil-rich North African country has had two rival governments since 2014, when politician Khalifa Ghweil and his self-proclaimed government seized control of the capital Tripoli, with the support of militia groups, forcing the internationally-recognized government to move to the country’s remote eastern city of Tobruk.
The two governments achieved a consensus on forming a unity government, the GNA, last December after months of UN-brokered talks in Tunisia and Morocco to restore order to the country.
Meanwhile, efforts were underway by the UN-backed Tripoli-based GNA forces to take back territory under the Takfiris’ control mainly in the northern port city of Sirte, the main stronghold of the terrorist group.
Sirte, which fell to ISIL militants in February 2015, is the government forces’ key target, whose liberation could serve as a boost to stability in the war-ravaged country.
The US is already engaged in allegedly anti-ISIL strikes in Iraq and Syria. Washington has been criticized for its ineffective campaign as well as its role in the creation of the Takfiri group in the first place.
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