After weeks of military gains by Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), President Trump has called for a deescalation during his phone call with Turkey’s President Erdogan. Turkey is the GNA’s only foreign ally.
This is bound to once again raise questions about the US position. Nominally the US is backing the GNA, but at times Trump has expressed support for their enemy, the Libyan National Army (LNA). The deescalation would be seen as bailing out the LNA from recent losses.
The LNA has a lot of foreign allies, from France and Russia to virtually the whole list of Gulf Arab states. LNA leader Khalifa Hafter, was a CIA asset in the past, and the US has criticized Russia for being too close with him, despite their own long history of backing him.
It’s not clear where Turkey is going with this, as they mostly want maritime rights and a military base. Those are likely secured already, but the GNA probably feels very little need to step down in the face of recent gains.
“Its not clear where Turkey is going with this….”
Yeah, Erdogan is like that sometimes… all the time.
Maybe someone should tell Trump that it WAS Turkey who escalated the conflict
Trump probably expected Turkey to get their feathers singed, not actually start winning. That would upset some NATO apple carts.
The Russians seem to think that like Iraq, another partition is planned by the West for Libya.
https://www.pravdareport.com/hotspots/137528-libya_division/
It was always a bit puzzling that the Russians, usually supportive of international law, chose to side with Haftar. The Government of National Accord based in Tripoli is supposed to be the internationally recognized government.
It could be the Russians expect partition to succeed, and have staked out Cyrenaica, while Europe gets Tripolitania, That would leave Libyans with a uselessly landlocked Fezzan in the South.
Erdogan could be undercutting Europe, while leaving open the possibility of taking a united Libya. Tough to do that; only Gaddaffi kept Libya united, but then Erdogan swings for the fences. Or just swings wildly… hard to tell…