The ex-envoy of the United States (US) to Libya, Jonathan Winer, warned of the decline and failure of the US role in Libya while Russia had been tightening its grip on the east and south of the country, adding in an article published by the Middle East Institute that Washington should stop betting on the United Nations “and its repeated and failed efforts,” calling at the same time for American support for “military strikes carried out by Libyans” against the Russian presence in Al-Jufra.
Winer said that America’s declining role in Libya was due to “the malicious neglect of Libya that characterized Trump’s policy, and then his personal support for Haftar, which led to the crippling of American policy and the complete nullification of its influence.”
The article refers to what it considers Russia’s dangerous damaging role, as “the Wagner Group and the Russian forces associated with it retreated to Al-Jufra Air Base, and began to hide and build from there a wide-ranging network of sites that they use to help Haftar, thus by relying on Libya as its military base, Russia was able to expand Its influence and military support to governments throughout sub-Saharan Africa.”
Winer spoke about what he called “necessary steps” to review and activate the American role in Libya, and said that to have any chance of success, intense American participation must begin “reshaping an environment that has become very comfortable for Haftar and other actors in the current situation in Libya."
