The US does not need to deploy additional troops to Libya to assist in the defeat of ISIS “at the moment,” though there is currently no “grand strategy” for the future of that country, the administration’s nominee to lead Africa Command said. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser said at his confirmation hearing on Tuesday the US does have a small number of troops on the ground in Libya supporting the two-part goal of helping stand up the Government of National Accord and disrupting the growth of ISIS in Libya, which at the moment has about 5,000 fighters inside the country. “The situation in Libya is very complex,” Waldhauser said, noting one of the toughest things the US needs to do is determine which militias and tribal groups to work with. Forces against ISIS are working to retake the city of Sirte, after which the US needs a plan to build off that momentum to defeat the group, Waldhauser said. (See also: Facing ISIS in Africa.)
Army Building Up New Space Operations Branch
Oct. 15, 2026
The Army has long been dependent on space capabilities to navigate terrain, communicate in hard-to-reach areas, and identify and strike targets. Now, the service wants to deepen its space operations expertise and is making plans to expand its own cadre of operators in the coming years.