The Wider Implications of Military Intervention in Libya

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The Wider Implications of Military Intervention in Libya

Ali Asghar Kazemi

‎April 6, 2011‎

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‎       While fighting is still continuing in Libya and the ill-fated Qaddafi is trapped ‎in his own insane decisions to remain in power, the outcome of the military ‎intervention is more or less clear; total destruction and defeat. Indeed, this is the ‎end of an era in Libya and the oppressive rule of a madman who for more than ‎forty long years ridiculed the whole world by his contemptible behavior. ‎Unfortunately, the international community closed eyes on the follies of this ‎lunatic man sitting on a huge reserve of oil in North Africa. Neither the United ‎Nations nor other humanitarian institutions took seriously all the misdeed of ‎this dictator during this long period. ‎

Perhaps, among all the self-claimed rulers in the Arab world, Qaddafi was the most notorious. Since, while completely losing touch with realities, he claimed to be the most open popular leader who should be followed as a model and praised in the whole world. From time to time, , he took conciliatory actions such as paying huge compensation for the Lockerbie plane crash affair and the dismantling of the nuclear project venture, out of extreme necessity for survival. But, he never gave up his ill-wishes in the back of his insane mind.

With the outbreak of crisis in Tunisia, Qaddafi observed that Ben Ali should remain in power despite mass protests against him. Eventually, he never dreamed of having a destiny worst than his counterpart in Tunisia. At least Ben Ali had the guts of giving up the power and leaving the country before huge human and material losses. What Qaddafi has left so far is a devastated country and thousands of victims. At least the next generation in Libya should pay the costs of this sufferance.

Our main purpose here was not to delve into the fate of Libya but rather the wider ramifications of military intervention in the region with explicit UN permission. There is no doubt that the bold and relatively quick action of the UN Security Council in the Libyan case will set an important legal and political precedent on the records of the United Nations for deciding to form a military coalition against  a brutal dictators who wants to remain in power against the will of the people through force. Similar rulers in the region should take this example seriously and do in a way not to fall in the same trap as the Libyan leader did.

We shall continue on this topic in our future comments. /

* Ali Asghar Kazemi is professor of Law and -International Relations in Tehran-Iran. Students, researchers, academic institutions, media or any party interested in using all or parts ‎of this article are welcomed to do so with the condition of giving full attribution to the author and ‎The Middle East Academic Forum. ©All Copy Rights Reserved.‎