Washington should pay attention. The strongman’s family is also cultivating a relationship with the United States.
Khalifa Haftar controls much of eastern Libya, where his family has built a powerful military and political operation. His son Saddam has become an increasingly influential figure. American officials have met with both men as part of efforts to bring stability to a country divided by years of conflict.
Engagement can make sense. But Washington needs to judge the relationship by what the Haftars deliver.
On October 20, Libya’s eastern parliament approved a maritime deal with Turkey that it had opposed for years. The agreement backs Turkish claims to waters where Greece says its islands have rights. The European Union has rejected the deal’s treatment of those rights. Read more here.
