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U.S. B-2 war planes bombed two camps in Libya overnight in President Barack Obama's last day in office. (Photo: Stuart Rankin/flickr/cc)
U.S. B-2 war planes bombed two camps in Libya overnight that Pentagon officials claim were housing Islamic State (ISIS) militants, concluding President Barack Obama's time as commander in chief with another slew of deaths.
More than 80 people were killed at the camps about 25 miles southeast of Sirte, where ISIS fighters fled from last year after attacks by Libyan fighters backed with American air power. The bombing, which was reportedly requested by Libya's Government of National Accord, comes a month after the U.S. claimed a "successful conclusion to a months-long air campaign against the militant group," the Guardian notes.
Obama reportedly authorized the strikes earlier this week, without congressional approval. The president committed to giving Libya air support after the U.S.-backed toppling of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. He later said the military's lack of an action plan for the day after Gaddafi's ouster was his "worst mistake" as a president.
The strikes appear to underscore that ISIS remains a threat in Libya, regardless of U.S. military claims.
\u201cFor a Pentagon that erroneously claimed it "doesn't do body counts," some more body counts on the way out the door. https://t.co/fFXfzgN74u\u201d— Micah Zenko (@Micah Zenko) 1484841952
That prospect becomes more grim as the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump approaches. As Common Dreams reported last year, Obama's years of expanding unchecked war powers means he will hand the keys to the White House over to a man with a brash and impulsive approach to foreign policy at best.
Guardian reporter Spencer Ackerman made reference to the incoming changeover on Twitter, writing, "Massive, yuge U.S. airstrikes in Libya closing out the Obama administration."
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
U.S. B-2 war planes bombed two camps in Libya overnight that Pentagon officials claim were housing Islamic State (ISIS) militants, concluding President Barack Obama's time as commander in chief with another slew of deaths.
More than 80 people were killed at the camps about 25 miles southeast of Sirte, where ISIS fighters fled from last year after attacks by Libyan fighters backed with American air power. The bombing, which was reportedly requested by Libya's Government of National Accord, comes a month after the U.S. claimed a "successful conclusion to a months-long air campaign against the militant group," the Guardian notes.
Obama reportedly authorized the strikes earlier this week, without congressional approval. The president committed to giving Libya air support after the U.S.-backed toppling of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. He later said the military's lack of an action plan for the day after Gaddafi's ouster was his "worst mistake" as a president.
The strikes appear to underscore that ISIS remains a threat in Libya, regardless of U.S. military claims.
\u201cFor a Pentagon that erroneously claimed it "doesn't do body counts," some more body counts on the way out the door. https://t.co/fFXfzgN74u\u201d— Micah Zenko (@Micah Zenko) 1484841952
That prospect becomes more grim as the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump approaches. As Common Dreams reported last year, Obama's years of expanding unchecked war powers means he will hand the keys to the White House over to a man with a brash and impulsive approach to foreign policy at best.
Guardian reporter Spencer Ackerman made reference to the incoming changeover on Twitter, writing, "Massive, yuge U.S. airstrikes in Libya closing out the Obama administration."
U.S. B-2 war planes bombed two camps in Libya overnight that Pentagon officials claim were housing Islamic State (ISIS) militants, concluding President Barack Obama's time as commander in chief with another slew of deaths.
More than 80 people were killed at the camps about 25 miles southeast of Sirte, where ISIS fighters fled from last year after attacks by Libyan fighters backed with American air power. The bombing, which was reportedly requested by Libya's Government of National Accord, comes a month after the U.S. claimed a "successful conclusion to a months-long air campaign against the militant group," the Guardian notes.
Obama reportedly authorized the strikes earlier this week, without congressional approval. The president committed to giving Libya air support after the U.S.-backed toppling of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. He later said the military's lack of an action plan for the day after Gaddafi's ouster was his "worst mistake" as a president.
The strikes appear to underscore that ISIS remains a threat in Libya, regardless of U.S. military claims.
\u201cFor a Pentagon that erroneously claimed it "doesn't do body counts," some more body counts on the way out the door. https://t.co/fFXfzgN74u\u201d— Micah Zenko (@Micah Zenko) 1484841952
That prospect becomes more grim as the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump approaches. As Common Dreams reported last year, Obama's years of expanding unchecked war powers means he will hand the keys to the White House over to a man with a brash and impulsive approach to foreign policy at best.
Guardian reporter Spencer Ackerman made reference to the incoming changeover on Twitter, writing, "Massive, yuge U.S. airstrikes in Libya closing out the Obama administration."