Arming Libya

The US and more than two dozen other nations on Monday declared the possibility of arming the Libyan government to fight the growing threat of ISIS in the country. US Secretary of State John Kerry and about two dozen ministers from around the world said they support pending requests from the Libyan Government of National Accord to the United Nations to lift arms embargos. “The GNA is the sole legitimate recipient of international security assistance and is charged with preserving and protecting Libya’s resources for the benefit of all its people,” the State Department said in a statement. However, the move does not change the mission of the small group of military personnel on the ground there, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said during a Monday briefing. The Defense Department has deployed a small number of special operations forces to Libya to get a better view of the situation on the ground and determine allied groups to support. The military has also repeatedly targeted ISIS camps and leaders inside the country to limit its growth. (See also: ‘Vigorous Action’ Needed in Libya, Facing ISIS in Africa.)