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"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Libya’s Power Vacuum Draws ISIS Closer to Europe
The brutal murder of Egyptian Christians in Libya by the Islamic State has brought the ongoing chaos in Libya to the forefront.
Published on Feb 19, 2015
Source: KCRW’s To the Point
The brutal murder of Egyptian Christians in Libya by the Islamic State has brought the ongoing chaos in Libya to the forefront. Speaking on KCRW’s To the Point, Carnegie’s Frederic Wehrey explained how the Islamic State has exploited the vacuum created by the civil war in order to gain a foothold in the country.
General Khalifa Hifter is a polarizing figure who is fighting with one faction, Operation Dignity. Wehrey said that many fear that General Hifter wants to bring back the “deep state” in Libya. “But he’s selling something that’s very appealing and that’s a return to stability, a return to security,” Wehrey added. He explained that the problem is the way Hifter is trying to bring stability back, through labeling all Islamist opposition as terrorists, which could further polarize and destabilize Libya.
Wehrey concluded that while there are extremist Islamist militias in the east, militias are not necessarily ideological and instead fight “for their town, for their tribe, for their particular region.” Labeling those militias as terrorist can be dangerous as some subscribe to democracy and the constitution, he warned.
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 Russia Eurasia Center
- Why Has Kazakhstan Started Deporting Political Activists?Commentary
The current U.S. indifference to human rights means Astana no longer has any incentive to refuse extradition requests from its authoritarian neighbors—including Russia.
Temur Umarov
- Why Are China and Russia Not Rushing to Help Iran?Commentary
Most of Moscow’s military resources are tied up in Ukraine, while Beijing’s foreign policy prioritizes economic ties and avoids direct conflict.
Alexander Gabuev, Temur Umarov
- How Far Can Russian Arms Help Iran?Commentary
Arms supplies from Russia to Iran will not only continue, but could grow significantly if Russia gets the opportunity.
Nikita Smagin
- Can the Disparate Threads of Ukraine Peace Talks Be Woven Together?Commentary
Putin is stalling, waiting for a breakthrough on the front lines or a grand bargain in which Trump will give him something more than Ukraine in exchange for concessions on Ukraine. And if that doesn’t happen, the conflict could be expanded beyond Ukraine.
Alexander Baunov
- Once Neutral on the Ukraine War, Arab States Increasingly Favor MoscowCommentary
Disillusioned with the West over Gaza, Arab countries are not only trading more with Russia; they are also more willing to criticize Kyiv.
Ruslan Suleymanov
