Obama "on the verge of taking action" in Libya

Several top US government officials are quoted in a piece from Politico, suggesting that President Obama is near the point of calling for military action against ISIS in Libya.  The vague commentary from these officials, including senators and a White House spokesman, highlights concerns regarding the presence of ISIS in Libya and indicates that the US is considering various options.  However, details regarding probable plans and a timeline for possible intervention remain unclear.

Earnest stressed then that the U.S. has been involved in trying to help Libyans form a central government, and that there’s been progress on that front. He also noted that the U.S. has taken action against the Islamic State in Libya in the past, including a November airstrike that killed the group’s senior leader in the country.... “And so I certainly wouldn’t rule out that enhancing our intelligence capabilities inside of Libya is something that could be useful to those who are fighting [the Islamic State] on the ground in Libya,” Earnest said.The Obama administration is “going to have to” intervene in Libya, said Arizona Republican [McCain]. “Sooner or later, they will have to, because [the Islamic State] is growing. It’s metastasizing. It’s just a fact. … There are many options that we have there but they have to be, they can’t be this incremental stuff like they’ve practiced in the past. This is the classic mission creep incrementalism that’s just been a total failure.”

To read the full article, click here.