Rooting out extremists in Libya

Jason Pack’s op-ed on January 4, 2013, entitled “Another missed opportunity on Benghazi,” misstated my remarks at a hearing in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on December 20, 2012. Mr. Pack quoted me as referring to the Libyan government as “a coalition… which includes some of the most evil jihadist elements imaginable.” I actually stated that, “The fact is, this is a government that is a coalition that includes, or at least countenances, some of the most evil jihadist elements imaginable.”

We know that some ideologically extremist groups that took part in the uprising against Gaddafi have ties to the new government and have been operating in Eastern Libya without scrutiny and with plenty of weapons. Back in May 2011, I personally urged the interim government of Libya to address the issue of ideologically extremist, anti-American fighters based in Eastern Libya that were part of the rebel force, including an al-Qaeda-affiliated fighter who boasted about fighting American troops abroad. The Interim Prime Minister at the time downplayed these concerns. Any reasonable observer of Libya should admit that the Libyan government should have done, and should be doing, more to root out extremist groups in Eastern Libya – before, and certainly after, the outrageous events of September 11, 2012.
 
Sherman, a Democrat from California, is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

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