An "Open Letter" from the National Council on US-Libya Relations to Congratulate Donald Trump on his Election as the Next President of the United States of America

    WASHINGTON, DC, November 28, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- As a nonprofit organization of American experts on Libyan affairs, we celebrate your presidency as an opportunity to reexamine and pursue a strategically sound policy on Libya. One, that first and foremost guarantees the geo-strategic interests of America and its allies in the region.

Libya, although itself is not a highest priority for U.S. foreign policy, is now about to become a threat for vital American strategic interests in the wider region. It must be dealt with and be urgently stabilized before it becomes a political burden in the years to come.

Rather than exercising an assertive policy of fighting terrorists in Libya, the USA chose to "lead from behind" and adapt a strategy of alliance with radical religious groups soon after its intervention to topple Gadhafi in 2011. Furthermore, the US administration has erred by supporting, arming and training radical militias which led to its empowerment and the expansion of enemy Jihadi groups across the whole of Libya and the Sahel region. Still, the United States maintains a positive reputation in Libya and the MENA region with opportunities abound to correct errors of the past and develop mutually beneficial relations in the region.

Sound policy depends on reliable information and a nuanced understanding of complex realities. Unfortunately, past administration, surrounded by mediocre so called experts on Libya and arrogant media outlets in Washington have declined advice and insisted on pursuing flawed policies on Libya and the Middle East.

The National Council on U.S. Libya Relations was established to bring together the foremost experts on Libyan political and socioeconomic affairs to prepare and recommend policy solutions that serve the mutual interests of the USA, Libya and its region. As you begin to chart the course of U.S. - Libya and Middle East relations over the next four years, we extend our hand to you in partnership and welcome a conversation with you and your MENA policy team.

The mission of the National Council on US-Libya Relations is to disseminate information about Libya and to strengthen relations between the United States and Libya.

National Council on US Libya Relations (NCUSLR)'s mission is designed to better educate the US public on Libya and to promote relations between the people of the two countries. NCULSR was recently established as a non-profit organization with a tax exempt status.

Relations between USA and Libya encompass many essential facets which include education, culture, trade and many others for which the key for its success is good information -- which is terribly lacking today.

Since Libya's independence in 1951, the USA has prided itself in its ability to design and implement a mature and well executed foreign US policy in its relation to Libya.

More recently, and in particularly over the last ten years, it appears that the National Security Council, State Department, the US media and the public have become indented with misinformation about Libya, mostly fed by foreign interest groups and governments, to the detriment of the development of a sound US policy on Libya and its interests in the region at large.

Many have expressed concern with the continuation of the infiltration of such dangerous misinformation and its negative influence on US interests for so many years.

Libyans and American, individuals, government and Non-government organizations have often expressed opinions to this matter but in the absence of a focused effort, have not been effective in providing the necessary educated opinion on Libya to the US public.

NCULSR aims to be the focal point to these opinions which represent a most significant proportion of the Libyan people and their future.

Hani Shennib, M.D, Chair NCUSLR
[email protected]
602 540 7577

Hassan Sassi, PHD, Vice Chair NCUSLR
[email protected]
213 663 8927

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