U.S. to train elite military unit in Libya
The Pentagon and U.S. State Department are rushing to help the Libyan government create an elite commando force to help combat extremists and rogue militias, according to internal U.S. government documents, Libya TV reports.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/U-S-to-train-el...
The US allocated $8 million from Congress to help train a special unit of up to 500 troops in Libya over the next year, The U.S. Special Operations could conduct much of the training as they have with counter terrorism forces in Pakistan and Yemen, officials said.The plan to train the force was already in force before the attack on the US
consulate in Benghazi but recent events haveaccelerated the deployment.
Libya TV quotes an unclassified internal State Department memo sent to Congress on Sept. 4, the plan’s goal is to enhance “Libya’s ability to combat and defend against threats from Al Qaeda and its affiliates.” A companion Pentagon document envisions that the Libyan commando force will “counter and defeat terrorist and violent extremist organizations.”
“Overall, it’s a sound strategy, but my concern is that in the vetting they make sure this doesn’t become a Trojan horse for the militias to come in,” said Frederic Wehrey, a senior policy analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Libya TV reported.
Washington hopes to have a final decision on the proposal by the end of this year, with initial training conducted within the next 12 months. There is some concern over whether Libyan militias will accept the idea.
consulate in Benghazi but recent events haveaccelerated the deployment.
Libya TV quotes an unclassified internal State Department memo sent to Congress on Sept. 4, the plan’s goal is to enhance “Libya’s ability to combat and defend against threats from Al Qaeda and its affiliates.” A companion Pentagon document envisions that the Libyan commando force will “counter and defeat terrorist and violent extremist organizations.”
“Overall, it’s a sound strategy, but my concern is that in the vetting they make sure this doesn’t become a Trojan horse for the militias to come in,” said Frederic Wehrey, a senior policy analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Libya TV reported.
Washington hopes to have a final decision on the proposal by the end of this year, with initial training conducted within the next 12 months. There is some concern over whether Libyan militias will accept the idea.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/U-S-to-train-el...