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Congress starts to question UN arms embargo on Libya

The shift follows a heavy push by Egypt and Jordan after the Islamic State beheading of Coptic Christians.
A Libyan army vehicle patrols on a desert road between Libya and Algeria May 29, 2014. Libya's southwestern tip in the Sahara bordering Algeria and Niger has turned into an open door for illegal migrants from sub-Saharan countries heading for Europe, with the chaotic government in Tripoli appearing to have abandoned all control. The revolt that overthrew Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi three years ago emptied Libya's arsenals, flooded the region with guns and dismantled much of the state apparatus, giving wel

Some US lawmakers are starting to question the United Nations weapons ban on Libya following a lobbying blitz by regional powers after the Islamic State (IS) announced last week it had beheaded 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians.

Jordan, which saw one of its pilots burned alive by the Islamist group, began circulating a draft resolution at the UN Security Council on Feb. 18. Libya and Egypt immediately jumped on board and have since both pressed their case on Fox News, whose viewership consists largely of politically active conservative Americans.

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