US-Led Libya Reunification Plan Faces Major Hurdles

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Tripoli: Analysts consider the renewed US diplomatic push to reunify Libya as a dangerous bet, warning that years of political split, military rivalries, and conflicting foreign interests might destroy the operation despite growing international support.

The US approach aims to unite Libya's competing eastern and western governments by linking political reconciliation to economic incentives, such as increased cooperation over the country's massive oil riches. Washington believes that settling issues over oil income and administration will pave the way for a unified national government after more than a decade of instability.

However, experts argue that strong distrust between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and the eastern government led by military leader Khalifa Haftar, as well as the influence of regional powers and established militia networks, make a long-term settlement impossible. Critics also wonder whether external mediation is effective in the absence of a stronger domestic consensus.

Libya has remained divided since the 2011 uprising that deposed Muammar Gaddafi, with successive UN-backed peace talks failing to create a sustainable political solution. Analysts believe the latest US initiative could provide a rare opportunity for development, but caution that expectations should be kept low given the country's complex political context.