How Much Of Libya Does The Islamic State Control?

Militants who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State now control some territory in Libya. (file photo)

Issandr El Amrani, Foreign Policy: How Much of Libya Does the Islamic State Control?

More than you think -- and it’s growing. But putting boots on the ground could only make the situation worse.

The world is waking up to the threat posed by the Islamic State’s expansion in Libya over the past year. The renewed Western focus on combating the group is related to the Nov. 13 Paris attacks — although they had nothing to do with Libya — and the increasing recognition that the U.N.-brokered Libyan Political Agreement signed on Dec. 17 is, for the moment at least, unimplementable. Therefore, a national unity government able to take on the Islamic State will not be in place any time soon. But the urge to act, or to be seen acting, against the Islamic State should not be a reason to embark on a new large-scale military adventure in Libya — one that would have unpredictable results and likely worsen the situation on the ground by making the Libyan conflict harder to resolve.

The first step to a more nuanced approach is to accurately assess the challenge the Islamic State poses in Libya. Only after understanding its spread, size, and tactics can the international community develop a proper strategy for rolling back its recent gains.

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WNU Editor: I guess this answers the question why the White House is reluctant to intervene in Libya with its military .... The White House Has Stopped Pentagon Plans To Strike Islamic State Targets In Libya.