MP highlights intervention aimed at regime change
Today, John Baron MP has highlighted the events over the last week clearly show regime change is the aim of our intervention in Libya. Recent comments by Cabinet Ministers have made it clear that our targeting of military assets on the ground in Libya will only end with Gaddafi’s departure, despite UN Resolution 1973 only talking of a ceasefire and an end to attacks on civilians. A fuller explanation of his concerns can be found at http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/
John said:
“Events over the last week clearly show regime change was the key reason for our intervention. We have brutal autocrats in the Yemen and Bahrain putting down popular uprisings and yet where is the No-Fly Zone? Is this because both countries are allied with the West?”
“Further confirmation of regime change this week has come from the inaction of some of our Arab allies – in particular Egypt. Here we have an air force which boasts 240 F-16 fighter aircraft, the third largest fleet outside the US. By contrast, the Libyan air force boasts 109 Soviet-era MiG 23’s. There is simply no competition. Is Egypt’s inaction because both it and the West does not want to remind the world of its power and capability to enforce a NFZ?”
“Our foreign policy is at a crossroads. We must either change and adopt a more ethical approach which consistently puts national values above interests – because, in the Prime Minister’s words when addressing the Kuwaiti Parliament, ‘denying people their basic rights does not preserve stability, rather the reverse’.”
“Or we must be more honest about our present policy and intent. It is quite clear from the facts that we have intervened in Libya to secure regime change – just as we did in Iraq. Although I believe this is folly, if such a policy was explained to the British public they just might agree to it – but the fact it hasn’t suggests they wouldn’t. Meanwhile, such dissembling undermines the UK’s international standing.”
“How Libya plays out and the approach we take in the rest of the region will indicate which choice the Government has made.”
I usually don’t agree with our MPs but I agree with John Baron re-Libya; what the hell are we still doing in Libya, more than a month after NATO started its no fly zone? Even if Gaddafi is removed from power, I fear that we have only contributed to Libya’s agony!