Number of Islamic State militants in Libya double from last year to 5,000 men signaling a growth the

[EmperorScorpious]

[quote]ISIL fighters have streamed into Libya in recent months, heightening fears the fighters are gaining ground and influence in the divided north African country.

About 5,000 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters are now in Libya - double earlier estimates - while the number in Iraq and Syria has dropped, a security analyst said on Thursday.

T[B]he updated figures come as the US administration of President Barack Obama faces growing calls for the American military to step up action against ISIL in Libya, where fighters have already seized the city of Sirte and an adjoining length of Mediterranean coastline.[/B]

Patrick Skinner, a former CIA case officer now with The Soufan Group consultancy, said the US has few good Libya options, but there is growing consensus something must be done.

"They are just terrified of it getting much worse, fast," Skinner told the AFP news agency.

"Once [ISIL] takes something, it's really hard and really bloody and really expensive to take it back."

NATO defence ministers are meeting in Brussels next week to evaluate the ongoing US-led campaign against ISIL and to discuss ways of redoubling efforts.

No large-scale US military action is contemplated in Libya, senior US administration officials told the Associated Press news agency.

Military options under consideration include raids and advisory missions by US special operations forces and air strikes, the officials said on condition of anonymity.

[B]"The last thing in the world you want is a false caliphate with access to billions of dollars of oil revenue," John Kerry[/B], the US secretary of state, said on Tuesday.

[B]Meanwhile, the US now says that there are between 19,000 and 25,000 ISIL fighters in Iraq and Syria - down from a previous count of about 30,000.[/B][/quote]

[url]http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/02/isil-presence-libya-grows-5000-fighters-160205065745718.html[/url]

[Daysofwinter]

What the difference between boots on ground in Libya and say
Iraq and Syria?

[EmperorScorpious]

[QUOTE=Daysofwinter;49681674]What the difference between boots on ground in Libya and say
Iraq and Syria?[/QUOTE]

Iraq doesn't want us due to our previous occupation + growing Iranian influence in the country
Syria doesn't want us because we've never been a friend of Syria + Under Russian sphere of influence

Libya has neither of those issues and has a smaller Islamic State presence despite its recent growth.

[Daysofwinter]

Libya also closer to Europe. Which gives it more credibility to enact policing action. Its definitely more murky then Iraq or Syria. I personally would be more for US pumping up the EU nations' armed forces to deal with it.

[Pseudonym]

The spillover from Libya's civil war is also different from Syria's. Iraq was dragged into the conflict when they were attacked by invaders from Syria. Tunisia and Egypt aren't in danger of being invaded from Libya, but violence and terror has increased within their borders as a result of the war.

[Daysofwinter]

I would really want to hear a full discussion on this. If military action were taken in Libya, I would be fine with it. I assume also it would be complicated matter, so I am not sure.