Foreign Affairs Committee: UK’s Libya war flawed, Cameron to blame

A new report from the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, which will be released on Wednesday, will offer harsh criticism of Britain’s 2011 military campaign in Libya. The UK based its intervention into in the Civil War in Libya on flawed intelligence and it bares some responsibility for accelerating the country’s decent into economic and political turmoil.

The Conservative-led coalition government – headed by David Cameron – joined with French, US and other allied forces in March 2011 in order to support domestic opposition to the 43-year-old dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi.

British and allied air power provided tactical support to local opposition forces on the ground while media reports at the time also identified what appeared to be British Special Forces also operating on the ground.

While the rebellion against Gaddafi was ultimately successful, the aftermath has be tumultuous and – despite a UN backed plan – stability has yet to return to Libya.

According to Crispin Blunt, Committee Chair:

The UK’s actions in Libya were part of an ill-conceived intervention, the results of which are still playing out today… UK policy in Libya before and since the intervention of March 2011 was founded on erroneous assumptions and an incomplete understanding of the country and the situation

Blunt went on single out the former Prime Minister for particular blame:

ultimate responsibility rests with David Cameron’s leadership.