Re-Examining the Lessons of the Libya Intervention

Five years after France, Britain and the US led a military intervention to protect civilians in Libya, the country is in chaos. Recent territorial gains by Daesh (also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS) have even prompted Western countries to consider yet another military intervention. In recent weeks, the fifth anniversary of the Arab Spring has triggered a flurry of analysis and commentary on the lessons to be learned from the Libya intervention. This has particularly been the case in the US, where the presidential campaign has increased scrutiny of the foreign policy records of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In Europe, the UK has made the most serious attempt to examine the lessons from Libya: The Foreign Affairs Committee is leading an official inquiry which has been hearing witnesses since autumn 2015. The inquiry covers a wide range of issues, from government decision-making before the intervention, to the question of regime change and the failures of post-intervention stabilisation.

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To read the full article, please see the May 2016 Newsbrief (behind paywall) by RUSI.