(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron is being criticized for Britain’s role in the 2011 military intervention in Libya.
On Wednesday, members of the British parliament released a report stating that Cameron was given flawed intelligence which caused Libya to quickly fall into political and economic chaos.
In 2011, an international effort to support the revolt intended to take down Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was led by the United Kingdom in collaboration with the France
Soon after the fall of Gaddafi in 2011, Libya was left with a political and security vacuum causing groups such as ISIS to take advantage of the ongoing chaos to establish themselves in the country.
The report, which was published by the British parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, calls on Cameron to take responsibility for the decisions he made that left Libya in such a weak state.
“The UK’s actions in Libya were part of an ill-conceived intervention, the results of which are still playing out today,” said Crispin Blunt, the committee’s chairman and a member of Cameron’s Conservative party.
“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.” The statement added that the “ultimate responsibility rests with David Cameron’s leadership”.
European countries which were involved in military intervention in Libya did not give the fractured country much attention after the intervention came to an end, said US President Barack Obama. Obama’s office clarified that the statement by the US president was not meant to criticize Cameron.
Cameron resigned from his position as Prime Minister of Britain after Britain voted to leave the European Union. On Monday, Cameron left his position as a member of parliament to avoid being a distraction for the current British Prime Minister Theresa May.
The Cameron administration failed to properly assess the security threat that would put many civilian lives at risk.
“Our lack of understanding of the institutional capacity of the country stymied Libya’s progress in establishing security on the ground and absorbing financial and other resources from the international community,” said Blunt.
