Intervention in Libya

Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi must be stopped by any means possible. Therefore, the United Nations Security Council’s decision to support the Transitional National Council of the Libyan Republic, established by Gaddafi’s opposition in February, may be the most efficient way to end the reign of a ruthless dictator and protect the people of Libya from further violence.

There were very few options left to the United Nations, and the world at large as we watched Gaddafi brutalize his people for over a month before a no-fly zone was established over Libya.

The military intervention in Libya began on March 19 with the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which imposed a no-fly zone over Libya. The resolution received ten favorable votes from countries including permanent members the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Russia, China, and three other countries abstained from the vote, but there were no  votes against the resolution. The support of the majority of the UN Security Council indicates that their actions were inevitable.

Unlike in Egypt, where Mubarak eventually stepped down in response to his peoples’ protests, Gaddafi appears to be unwilling to let go of power voluntarily. Instead, he has attempted to subdue his people by impeding their freedom of communication through various measures, as well as ordering his military to take aggressive measures against protesters and rebels who dared defy his 42 year rule.

Gaddafi has been warned that his government may be charged by the International Criminal Court with crimes against humanity. Therefore, Gaddafi knows that there will be consequences if he gives up. Instead of succumbing to those consequences, he is prolonging his freedom by waging a war against his own people. There are no signs, and no incentives for him to stop of his own accord, so military intervention appears to be the best solution.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon reported earlier this week that the Libyan government has not implemented the cease-fire stipulated in Resolution 1973. There is clearly a need for foreign intervention to free the people of Libya if the government cannot uphold the UN’s demands.

In the Bosnian War, the United Nations’ imposition of a no-fly zone, as enforced by NATO’s Operation Deny Flight which spanned from 1993 to 1995, was instrumental in keeping air strikes from adding to the violence in the region and eventually helped end a bloody conflict.  Although this was accomplished by Operation Deliberate Force, a bombing campaign, ultimately this led to a peaceful resolution.

We can only hope that the no-fly zone in Libya, and the military support NATO is lending, along with other countries, will help to bring about a quicker end to the horrific violence in Libya.