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Obama Turns Down Military Plan To Hit ISIS In Libya

U.S. defense officials have told The Daily Beast that the Obama administration has turned down Pentagon plans to go after ISIS/Islamic State in Libya. The Islamic State is gaining ground in Libya and Sirte, the former dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s home city, is now the epicenter for the terror group in Libya and north Africa. The Daily Beast reports: In recent weeks, the U.S. military—led by its Africa and Special Operations Commands—have pushed for more airstrikes and the deployment of elite troops, particularly in the city of Sirte. The hometown of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the city is now under ISIS control and serving as a regional epicenter for the terror group. The airstrikes would target ISIS resources while a small band of Special Operations Forces would train Libyans to eventually be members of a national army, the officials said. Weeks ago, defense officials told The New York Times that they were crafting military plans for such strikes, but needed more time to develop intelligence so that they could launch a sustained air campaign on ISIS in Sirte. But those plans have since been put on the back burner. “There is little to no appetite for that in this administration,” [...]