Libya's Descent

Less than 3 years ago Libya, at the time, if we think back, was hailed as a successful example of multilateral engagement-NATO and our allies all working together to stop the slaughter of civilians and to free an oppressed people from dictatorship, as was articulated at the time, to chart a prosperous path forward for this country in North Africa. Unfortunately, in the ensuing years we have a situation since that date where the reality is that Libya has become chaotic, violent, awash in terrorist organizations and more militias than we can count. Its porous borders allow for the easy transit of people, of weapons, of money from conflicts across North Africa to Gaza to Syria to Iraq, and you have rival governments now in Tobruk and Tripoli making competing claims of legitimacy. We have not really had a desire to lead in Libya and it is an absolutely necessity right now that the administration lay out a strategy to lead in Libya.