NYT Editorial Board Misses the Point: State not Defense Should Open Front in Libya

Opening a New Front Against ISIS by the New Times editorial board misses the point about Libya and the need for a war declaration. Why is the Department of Defense and not State in charge of the Administration's focus in Libya?  First recognize that Libya is a country of tribes without a sense of a unified nation. With oil prices low a good opportunity exists to work with the U.N. to hold and direct oil payments to tribal leaders, not to a nonexistent central government, in the various regions of Libya thereby giving the power of the purse to locals with a concern for the public good.  With oil prices as low as they are the problem of leakage is low which keeps the money hungry ISIS machine at bay and gives a few years for the moderating effect of local leadership to take hold.