Are the American meetings on the unification of the Libyan army welcomed?

Mostafa Mohamed

There has been Libyan dissatisfaction with the decisions taken by the US Special Mission to Libya regarding building a unified army, which resulted from a meeting conducted by US Special Envoy to Libya Richard Norland in the German city of Stuttgart with the commander of the US military command in Africa, General Michael Langley, and his deputy responsible for civilian-military liaison, and their handling of Libyan internal affairs under the pretext of the deterioration of the security and regional conditions, as observers confirmed that they are not entitled to talk about the Libyan army or military institutions.

Unified Libyan army

During the meeting between Norland and Langley on Friday, April 28, they stressed the need for the situation inside Libya to build a unified army.

The US Embassy in Libya, through its official Twitter account, stressed that the deterioration of the regional security situation in Libya gives more importance than ever to diplomacy, development, and support for Libya in forming a unified army with civilian leadership that is capable of protecting the sovereignty and stability of the Libyans.

Norland earlier affirmed his country’s strong support for the efforts of the United Nations and the African Union to bring together Libyan leaders in order to hold early elections to unify the country.

The United Nations is sponsoring a political track to reach elections that resolve the current conflict crisis between a government appointed by the Libyan parliament, headed by Fathi Bashagha, and the outgoing Government of National Unity (GNU), headed by Abdul Hamid Dabaiba, which refuses to surrender except to a government that comes through a new elected parliament.

Unwelcome matter

Mohamed Qashout, a researcher of Libyan affairs, confirmed that the Americans meeting to discuss the internal situation in Libya and making the most important institution on which the state depends, which is the military institution, a subject of discussion between them is not welcome within Libyan circles and causes great resentment.

Qashout explained in exclusive statements to the Reference that public awareness in Libya is very weak about what is going on around it, and the United Nations, the UN Special Envoy and others being given the right to decide whether or not to unify the military institution makes them wonder who gave them this right and why there is silence on their insults. He pointed out that creating chaos in Libya is a negotiating card to achieve their interests with other countries without looking at the interior or the stability of the people.