Cameron ultimately responsible for Libya collapse and the rise of ISIS, Commons report concludes

[LeftishBrit]

The bloody collapse of Libya – which triggered a refugee crisis and aided the rise of Isis – is blamed today on David Cameron's blunders when he intervened to overthrow Colonel Gaddafi.

A damning report by MPs condemns the 2011 military campaign for lacking both “accurate intelligence” and a coherent strategy for the aftermath of removing the dictator.

The disastrous results were “political and economic collapse”, tribal warfare, the refugee crisis, widespread human rights abuses and the rise of Islamic State (IS) in North Africa, fuelled by weapons abandoned by the Gaddafi regime.

The Foreign Affairs Select Committee concludes: “Through his decision-making in the National Security Council, former prime minister David Cameron was ultimately responsible for the failure to develop a coherent Libya strategy.”....


http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/david-cameron-%E2%80%98ultimately-responsible%E2%80%99-for-libya-collapse-and-the-rise-of-isis-commons-report-concludes/ar-AAiRkQX?li=BBoPWjQ&OCID=ansmsnnews11

[Denzil_DC]

1. Maybe surprisingly, for those who know my views on other issues

to do with military intervention, I wasn't opposed to the imposition of a no-fly zone in Libya given the atrocities that were taking place, even though doing it properly would mean committing to maintaining a ground presence. I'd have liked it to have been done through a proper military UN peacekeeping force, in the absence of any other options. That wasn't what we got.

The lack of follow-up or an exit plan - the latter essential in any engagement that isn't going to end up in an even worse humanitarian disaster - was a smaller-scale replay of the Iraq invasion, and we all know how well that turned out.

Beware the opportunistic politician who wants to make a splash by playing pointless "me too" games in any bombing campaign, Syrian intervention supporters in particular.

[LeftishBrit]

2. I agree with everything you say, Denzil

I was not against some form of intervention in this particular case. But the complete lack of planning turned it into a disaster. It was a pattern with the Cameron government: impulsive, irresponsible, no plans whatsoever. In his case, his upper class background and training made him able to give an *image* of solid, prudent responsibility, but the reality was the total opposite.