The United States Navy SEALS' strike on Libyan terrorist, Abu Anas al-Liby, has garnered considerable criticism from the Libyan government.
While US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the raid, coupled with a simultaneous strike on terrorists in Somalia, sent a message to terrorists that they “can run but they can’t hide,” the Libyan government took a different message from the actions.
According to The New York Times, the Libyan government released a statement claiming, “As soon as it heard the reports, the Libyan government contacted the United States authorities to demand an explanation [for] the kidnapping of a Libyan citizen.”
American officials told sources that they had informed the Libyan government of their plans to seize the terrorist, but Libya’s reaction suggests otherwise. Many believe that surprising Libya with such a strike was a breach on the country’s sovereignty.
Despite backlash, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced, “We will continue to maintain a relentless pressure on terrorist groups that threaten our people or our interests [...] and we will conduct direct action against them, if necessary, that is consistent with our laws and our values.”
Many Libyans welcome Hagel’s promise to fight terrorism, recognizing U.S. aid as necessary in a country that has little capability of maintaining security.
The Christian Science Monitor quotes Salah Engab, a writer in Tripoli, “It’s a move against global terrorism [...] We shouldn’t be worrying about one country versus another. We should be working together.”