Article
Frederic Wehrey, Charles H. Johnson
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Source: Getty
In The Media
How Big a Threat is al-Qaeda in Libya?
The ultimate solution to the security challenges in Libya resides in improved governance and the construction of a cohesive national army.
Published on Sep 24, 2012
Source: CNN International
In the wake of the attack on the U.S. consulate and the killing of four American citizens, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, the Libyan government has ordered all militias within the country to disband. Appearing on CNN International, Frederic Wehrey noted that this decision is “a positive signal, but will be a very long process.” In a sort of devil’s bargain, the Libyan government has subsidized these militias in the absence of a cohesive police force or army. “It is difficult to imagine these militias simply disarming or demobilizing and they should not be incorporated into the army and allowed to maintain their cohesion and identity,” asserted Wehrey. Indeed, the most effective mechanisms for ensuring these militias disband is to incentivize the young men that went to war against Qaddafi to go to school, receive vocational training or join the army as individuals. With the dust hardly settled and little answers, any linkages between the Salafi militias suspected in taking part in the attacks and al-Qaeda remain tenuous. Ultimately, Wehrey said, “This is a Libyan problem that needs to be addressed through government reform and the building of an army. The solution is better governance.”
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.
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Carnegie India 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.
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