Research
- +11
Frances Z. Brown, Nate Reynolds, Priyal Singh, …
{
"authors": [
"Frederic Wehrey"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"North Africa",
"Libya",
"Maghreb"
],
"topics": [
"Security",
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Understanding the Complex Web of Conflict in Libya
The real story of Libya is that there is no one faction that can really compel or coerce the others.
Published on Jul 28, 2014
Source: PBS Newshour
Speaking to Jeffrey Brown on PBS NewsHour, Carnegie’s Frederic Wehrey discussed the deteriorating situation in Libya, where violence has escalated between rival factions. The very complex web of dynamics and alliances has finally arrived to Tripoli, Wehrey said, where fighting has intensified over control of the airport.
Under Qaddafi, Libya didn’t have state institutions, an army, or police. It’s only gotten worst since the revolution, Wehrey said. “The militias are getting funding from Libya’s oil wealth and they’ve really mushroomed. They’ve become their own entities,” he argued. “The real story of Libya is that there’s no one faction that can really compel or coerce the others.”
In Washington, there’s a sense that there’s no partner on the other side, Wehrey explained. They want to help the Libyans but the Libyans first have to help themselves. “I do think the Libyans themselves need to step up to the plate before the outside community can help,” he argued.
About the Author
Frederic Wehrey
Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Frederic Wehrey is a senior fellow in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where his research focuses on governance, conflict, and security in Libya, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf.
- Russia in Africa: Examining Moscow’s Influence and Its Limits
- How the Flaws of Trump’s Gaza Deal Prevent an Enduring PeaceCommentary
Charles H. Johnson, Frederic Wehrey
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Europe
- Russia’s Imperial Retreat Is Europe’s Strategic OpportunityCommentary
The war in Ukraine is costing Russia its leverage overseas. Across the South Caucasus and Middle East, this presents an opportunity for Europe to pick up the pieces and claim its own sphere of influence.
William Dixon, Maksym Beznosiuk
- Europe and the Arab Gulf Must Come TogetherCommentary
The war in Iran proves the United States is now a destabilizing actor for Europe and the Arab Gulf. From protect their economies and energy supplies to safeguarding their territorial integrity, both regions have much to gain from forming a new kind of partnership together.
Rym Momtaz
- Taking the Pulse: Is France’s New Nuclear Doctrine Ambitious Enough?Commentary
French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled his country’s new nuclear doctrine. Are the changes he has made enough to reassure France’s European partners in the current geopolitical context?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
- The Iran War’s Dangerous Fallout for EuropeCommentary
The drone strike on the British air base in Akrotiri brings Europe’s proximity to the conflict in Iran into sharp relief. In the fog of war, old tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean risk being reignited, and regional stakeholders must avoid escalation.
Marc Pierini
- Resetting Cyber Relations with the United StatesArticle
For years, the United States anchored global cyber diplomacy. As Washington rethinks its leadership role, the launch of the UN’s Cyber Global Mechanism may test how allies adjust their engagement.
Patryk Pawlak, Chris Painter
