If it weren’t for Barack Obama, there wouldn’t be any Islamic State targets in Libya. If Barack Obama had his way, the Muslim Brotherhood would still be in power in Egypt, and Egypt would not have undertaken this strike. “Egypt bombs Islamic State targets in Libya after 21 Egyptians beheaded,” by Ahmed Tolba and Shadi Bushra, Reuters, February 16, 2015:
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian jets bombed Islamic State targets in Libya on Monday, a day after the group there released a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians, drawing Cairo directly into the conflict across its border.
Egypt said the pre-dawn strike hit militant camps, training sites and weapons storage areas in neighboring Libya, where civil conflict has plunged the country into near anarchy and created havens for armed factions.
While Cairo is believed to have provided clandestine support to a Libyan general fighting a rogue government in Tripoli, the mass killings pushed President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi into open action, expanding his battle against Islamist militancy.
“And let those near and far know that the Egyptians have a shield that protects and preserves the security of the country, and a sword that eradicates terrorism,” the military said.
Egyptian state television aired footage of fighter planes leaving a hangar with “Long live Egypt” emblazoned on the tails, followed by night-vision aerial footage showing bomb explosions and the aircraft returning in early daylight.
Libya’s air force also participated in Monday’s attack, which targeted Derna, an eastern coastal city seen as a base for Islamic State fighters in the oil-rich nation.
“There are casualties among individuals, ammunition and the (Islamic State) communication centers,” Libyan air force commander Saqer al-Joroushi told Egyptian state television, adding that dozens were killed.
Joroushi, who is loyal to Libya’s internationally recognized government that set up camp in the city of Tobruk after losing control of Tripoli, said there would be more strikes on Tuesday.
The rival Tripoli-based parliament, which is supported by some Islamist groups, said the strike was an assault on the country’s sovereignty. Omar al-Hassi, the premier of the self-declared Tripoli government, said three children, two elderly men and a 21-year-old woman were killed in the attack….
It was not possible to confirm either factions’ accounts of the number or nature of the casualties.
Before the videoed killings, one of the militants stood with a knife in his hand and said: “Safety for you crusaders is something you can only wish for.” Afterwards, he says: “And we will conquer Rome, by the will of Allah.”
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, condemned the beheadings. “They were killed simply for the fact that they were Christians,” he said at the Vatican. “It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians!”…