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US & NATO Should Stop Meddling in Mideast, Let Libyan Gov't Fight Terrorism

© AP Photo / Mohammad HannonLibyan security forces stands guard in Benghazi, Libya (File)
Libyan security forces stands guard in Benghazi, Libya (File) - Sputnik International
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Critical of the US-led effort to combat Daesh terrorism, Egyptian military analyst Talaat Mousa suggests that ultimately, Washington's attempts to play the role of hegemon in the Middle East, together with its highly 'selective' policy on fighting terrorism in general, has led to a situation where Daesh has been able to spread to Libya.

Due to negligent policies of Western countries Libya is on the verge of being engulfed by terrorism and becoming the new stronghold of Daesh (Islamic State), Olivier d’Auzon wrote for Le Huffington Post. - Sputnik International
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Hotbed of Terrorism: Post-Gaddafi Libya is Becoming New Daesh Stronghold
Interviewed by Sputnik Arabic, Maj-Gen. Mousa, a professor of Strategy & National Security at the Nasser Military Academy in Cairo, complained that despite the fact that the US-led military effort against Daesh is now in its second year, the terrorist group "has only expanded and reinforced its existence in Iraq and Syria, and [spread] beyond these countries until it reached Libya –precisely, to the city of Sirte."

"Sirte," the expert noted, "has the conditions and atmosphere which suits terrorists who come from all over the world." The city is located between the territories of Libya's two rival governments – one based in the city of Tobruk, which is internationally backed, and the other in Tripoli.

Warning that the terrorism which reached France and other European countries "will reach the United States too," Mousa suggested that Daesh's spread can be attributed to Washington's "selective policy" in dealing with terrorism in the Middle East, "which serves its own interests and goals in the region," rather than the objective goal of mercilessly rooting out and crushing terrorism.

"Had the United States and NATO been serious and honest about the elimination of terrorism, they would have lifted military sanctions from the Libyan Army, which is responsible [for] the National Government in Libya, as well as fighting terrorism," the analyst suggested.

Instead, the analyst said, "the United States is a 'force' which leads to terrorism in the Middle East; its strategic goal is the segmentation of the Arab countries into small statelets," pushing "Muslim groups to become extremist groups," and thus working to challenge "the rule of the governments of Arab countries."

In the final analysis, Mousa suggested that "neither Europe nor the United States can solve the problems of the African continent…Each African state ought to resolve its conflicts and the problems within their countries, including the crushing of terrorism. This can be done by authorizing (and supporting) states' legitimate armies…This is our position toward the United States and the countries of NATO in this regard."

Pro-government protesters chant slogans while holding the national flag during the fifth anniversary of the uprising that ended 30-year reign of Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, Egypt, January 25, 2016 - Sputnik International
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Libya has been in a state of turmoil for years after the Arab Spring protests in early 2011, which led to a civil war and the overthrow of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi. The instability has facilitated the emergence of numerous militant groups in the country, among them Daesh.

Last month, Libya's Tunis, Tunisia-based Presidential Council announced the nomination of a new 'Government of National Accord for the war-torn nation, a move which was hailed by the United Nations, but whose composition was rejected by the internationally-recognized and Egyptian-supported Tobruk-based government.

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