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OFF PAGE ONE
East Oregonian
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
U.S. launches airstrikes targeting
Islamic State militants in Libya
PERS: New rates in September
WASHINGTON (AP) —
The United States launched
multiple airstrikes against
Islamic State militants in
Libya on Monday, opening
a new, more persistent
front against the group at
the request of the United
Nations-backed government,
Libyan and U.S. oficials
said.
Fayez Serraj, the head
of Libya’s U.N.-brokered
presidency council, said in
a televised statement that
American warplanes attacked
the IS bastion of Sirte on the
Mediterranean in northern
Libya. No U.S. ground forces
will be deployed, he said.
The precision strikes,
which targeted an Islamic
State tank and vehicles, come
amid growing concerns about
the group’s increased threat
to Europe and its ability
to inspire attacks across
the region, even though its
numbers have been shrinking
because of attacks from local
forces and allied international
troops.
“The
presidency
council, as the general army
commander, has made
a request for direct U.S.
support to carry out speciic
airstrikes,” Serraj said. “The
irst strikes started today in
positions in Sirte, causing
major casualties.”
The strikes mark the start
of a more intense American
role in the ight against IS
in Libya, as the U.S. steps
in to assist the fragile, U.N.-
backed government. They
were the irst strikes by the
U.S. on the group in Libya
since February, and they are
expected to continue. But
oficials said they expect the
air campaign will last weeks,
not months.
Obama’s authorization for
action in Sirte covers strikes,
intelligence and surveillance,
but not ground operations,
according to a White House
oficial, who wasn’t autho-
rized to speak publicly about
the strikes and requested
anonymity.
Serraj said his govern-
ment is joining the coalition
against IS, adding, “This is
the time for the international
community to live up to
its promises to the Libyan
people.”
He also noted that the
strikes will not go beyond
Sirte and its surroundings.
He said any other foreign
intervention is not allowed
without coordination.
His warning comes after
several French commandos
were killed ighting Islamic
State militants. U.S., French,
British and Italian special
operations forces and military
experts have been assisting
Libyan troops ighting IS
militants in eastern and
western Libya.
Pentagon press secretary
Peter Cook said President
Barack Obama authorized
the strikes following a
recommendation
from
Defense Secretary Ash Carter
and Gen. Joseph Dunford,
chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff.
Cook told reporters that
U.S. Africa Command will
coordinate any strikes with
the Libyans and that the new
air campaign will last as
long as the Libyans request
assistance to eliminate IS
from Sirte. The U.S. is also
providing airborne surveil-
lance and intelligence. And
a small team of U.S. special
operations forces is in an
operations center in Libya
— outside of Sirte — to help
coordinate the airstrikes,
according to U.S. oficials
who were not authorized to
discuss the matter publicly so
spoke anonymously.
Mohammed al-Ghasri, the
commander of a pro-govern-
ment militia, said his forces
gave target coordinates of
Islamic State positions to the
U.S.
While there are no U.S.
ground forces being used in
connection with the latest
strikes, Cook would not
comment on whether other
American special operations
forces are currently in Libya.
They have been routinely
moving in and out of the
country, meeting with Libyan
groups.
U.S. oficials earlier this
year estimated there were as
many as 6,000 Islamic State
insurgents in Libya, including
some who have abandoned
Syria. But in recent months,
oficials say, their numbers
in Libya have dropped and
the group is weakening there
the problem in the long term.
“It’s a systemic problem,”
he said. “Everything is pred-
icated on a linear 7.5 percent
investment return, and that
has not been sustainable. It’s
a whole different paradigm to
what we’ve been used to in the
past.”
The shortfall leaves school
districts facing a $335 million
increase in costs next bien-
nium, which some Republican
lawmakers have equated to
hiring 2,000 new teachers.
“Unsustainable and esca-
lating PERS costs will not lead
to reducing class sizes, adding
school days, or making our
communities safer,” Senate
Republican Leader Ted Ferr-
ioli of John Day said in a news
under pressure from local
militias and the U.N.-bro-
kered government.
Two weeks ago, U.N.
Secretary-General
Ban
Ki-moon said Islamic State
ighters in Libya are facing
the “distinct possibility” of
defeat in their last stronghold.
And Dunford estimated in
mid-July that there were only
a few hundred militants still
inside Sirte, which the group
has used as a headquarters.
“I don’t think there is any
doubt that the Islamic State
in Libya is weaker than it
was some months ago,” said
Dunford, adding, “They’ve
suffered signiicant casualties
in and around the Benghazi
area.”
Continued from 1A
release sent out Friday. “We
need fair and constitutional
PERS solutions that reduce
costs, ensure the long-term
stability of the system to
protect retirees, and allow for
investments in education.”
State agencies will see
their PERS bill increase by
$260 million, and other public
employers will have $290
million in new expenses.
Republican
lawmakers
have compiled a list of money-
saving pension reforms, but
Gov. Kate Brown and Demo-
cratic lawmakers did not take
up any of the proposals in the
2015 legislative session or this
year’s short session.
The PERS Board will send
employers their new rates in
September. The rates will take
effect July 1, 2017.
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ACCIDENT: Hospital
released Harris Monday
Continued from 1A
Health District, which
provides
ambulance
service to the Helix area.
Harris said their wives
are good friends. He also
remembered the accident
was on Saturday because
emergency workers kept
asking if he knew the day.
The ambulance took
Harris to Providence St.
Mary Medical Center,
Walla Walla, then a
helicopter lew him to
Sacred Heart Medical
Center, Spokane. He said
the hospital was releasing
him Monday, but irst
an orthopedic surgeon
who is an expert in facial
reconstruction
would
change the dressing on his
left ear and consult with
him. Harris said he would
return to the Spokane
hospital for surgery next
week.
He also said he met
Simer about a month
ago and the two were
coworkers but had not had
the time to get to know
one another.
Rowan said the sher-
iff’s ofice continues to
investigate the incident.
———
Contact Phil Wright at
pwright@eastoregonian.
com or 541-966-0833.
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n through August 9th.
Your in store donation supports
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providing scholarships for Oregon
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