Relationship dossier
Libya
United States
Relationship assessment
A sharply changed relationship, from Qaddafi-era hostility to post-2011 political and counterterrorism cooperation.
Libya toward United States
+10The Qaddafi government pursued a hostile relationship with the United States. After 2011, Libya’s Government of National Accord cooperated with U.S. counterterrorism operations; U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in 2016 were conducted at its request.
United States toward Libya
+5The United States took part in the 2011 military intervention against Qaddafi’s government, then supported Libya’s political transition and conducted airstrikes against ISIS in 2016 at the request of the Government of National Accord.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship has been shaped by a major reversal: Qaddafi-era confrontation gave way after 2011 to U.S. support for political transition and security cooperation with Libyan authorities. The 2011 intervention remains a significant adverse feature, while Libya’s political division makes the durability and reach of later cooperation uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Libya–United States relations have shifted sharply across political eras. The Qaddafi government was hostile to the United States, while Libya’s post-2011 authorities cooperated with U.S. counterterrorism operations, including U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in 2016 at the request of the Government of National Accord. The United States intervened militarily against Qaddafi’s government in 2011 and later supported Libya’s political transition and counterterrorism efforts. Libya’s divided political institutions complicate a sustained bilateral assessment.
Areas of tension
- Qaddafi-era confrontation and hostility toward the United States.
- The 2011 U.S.-backed military intervention against Qaddafi’s government.
- Political fragmentation among Libyan authorities complicates bilateral engagement.
Key developments
The United States took part in the military intervention against Qaddafi’s government.
U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in Libya were conducted at the request of the Government of National Accord.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and continuity of cooperation among Libya’s competing authorities and the United States are unclear.
- The implementation and scope of post-2011 bilateral security and political cooperation are uncertain.