To the Point

Fertile Ground for ISIS in Libya

Last weekend, a faction of the Islamic State beheaded a dozen Christians in Libya, and the eyes of the world turned back to a nation in chaos. Egypt responded with airstrikes — designed to punish ISIS and help one of two rival governments trying to take power in Libya. The UN is trying to get the two groups together.

By Warren Olney • Feb 19, 2015 • 1 min read

Last weekend, a faction of the Islamic State beheaded a dozen Christians in Libya, and the eyes of the world turned back to a nation in chaos. Egypt responded with airstrikes — designed to punish ISIS and help one of two rival governments trying to take power in Libya. The UN is trying to get the two groups together. The ISIS group may or not provide a common enemy. In 2011, Europe helped end Moammar Gadhafi's brutal dictatorship in Libya as the US famously "led from behind." With the Islamic State now on Europe's doorstep, will the West intervene again?