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Article: State Dept. Acted to Block U.S.-Egypt Attack on Libya;White House Envisioned Aiding a 1985 Invasion
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- February 20, 1987
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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The State Department took extraordinary steps in the summer of
1985, including summoning the U.S. ambassador to Egypt home on a
secret weekend mission, to head off a White House-sponsored plan for
a joint U.S.-Egyptian military attack on Libya, according to informed
sources.
As in the case of its Iran policy, the U.S. government was
bitterly divided, with leaders of the State and Defense departments
trying to block what they believed were risky and unrealistic White
House and CIA initiatives aimed at winning a quick victory over
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
The confidential efforts of U.S. Ambassador Nicholas A. Veliotes
were aimed at rebutting the dramatic proposals of "these madmen in ...