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The global response to the uprising in Libya has varied drastically from one country and region to the next. While some have argued that the United States (US) has not done enough to support the Libyan people, the US has taken the leas among other state actors. The United Nations (UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), European Union (EU), and other state actors have acted only after being queued by the US and even then to a lesser extent. The revolts in Libya began on February 18th, by the 23rd the US promises support for the Libyan revolt, on the 25th UN calls for sanctions against Libya, the 28th sees the EU impose the same restrictions at the UN with few changes. While all this is happening, the US and Great Brittan (GB), among others, are negotiating within NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.
US Response
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While the US has projected a unified response to the uprising in Libya, there has been some debate between political leaders who agree with the US focusing on sanctions and evacuations while others argue the US should offer military support within Libya. Lieberman and McCain have been the most boisterous of the opposition to the current US course of action in Libya1. However, reports from within Libya show that ground forces are not wanted by the Libyan people2. Rather, more support exists for international forces being used to impose a no-fly zone which would help to protect protesters.
“Gen Mattis added that a no-fly zone would deter Col Gaddafi’s regime from bombing demonstrators as they protest against the government.
If such measures were taken, US commanders could turn to the USS Enterprise, currently in the Red Sea, as well as the amphibious ship the USS Kearsarge, which has a fleet of helicopters and about 2,000 Marines aboard.” (“Hillary Clinton: Libya may become democracy or face civil war”)
This has been the focus of the US response to the Libyan uprising and other major powers in the world have taken notice and implemented similar responses3.
Intergovernmental Response
Up to this point, UN has played a major role with support from the EU while NATO has been almost unheard from and the African Union (AU), which has had to deal with criticism for doing almost nothing in dealing with the situation in Libya4. Meanwhile, NATO is still working to reach a consensus on imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. The major proponents of the option are the US and GB with opposition mainly coming from Russia and Turkey5.
United Nations Response
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The first international organization that most countries turned to in dealing with the uprising in Libya was the UN. France even called for UN agreement before any state taking action in Libya6. Also, the EU decided to adopt sanctions only after the same decision was reached within the UN. They did, however, go slightly beyond the sanctions of the UN in their own implementation7. Also, it is worth noting that, “every member of the UN security council raised their hand to support a resolution condemning the gross violations of human rights in Libya.” (“Libya’s rulers must know crimes against humanity will be punished”) This resolution amounts to a recommendation by the UN security council that Moammar Qadhafi be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for human rights violations committed against his people.
European Union Response
The EU orchestrates the actions of the individual member states to give a common response to the Libyan uprising. The sanctions approved by the UN and later the EU were finally implemented in the form of asset freezes within Austria, Britain, and Germany8. While some news sources have focused on the joint EU effort9, others have focused on the UN10. It is only by comparing these reports with a time line of the events surrounding the Libyan uprising that the pattern of queuing begins to emerge. Within the EU, however, there is unrest among members states and fear of rising oil prices is not the only cause as this could turn into rate hikes by the European Central Bank11. Theses concerns over interest rates have received more news coverage than unilateral member state responses to the Libyan uprising. The small effort of individual member state have amounted to little more than small-scale humanitarian aid12 and evacuations.
Other State Actors in Libya
Other state actors taking on roles in Libya include South Africa, India, China, and Russia. Each is playing a supporting or antagonistic role to the larger efforts of the US. South Africa, like most other states, has already evacuated most of its diplomatic staff and citizens from Libya. They have now become commentators on the situation in Libya13. On the other hand, India has had great difficulty evacuating all of their citizens14 and this has caused many people to become annoyed at the slow progress of their government15. China, however, has not had nearly the difficulties of India and has already evacuated its people and has begun moving military deployments into the area16. China’s role in Libya will be interesting to study as it moves toward a more global projection of power. This particular incident is especially interesting because China decided to vote in support of human rights17 and recommending Qadhafi to the ICC18. Lastly, in opposition to the US agenda in Libya, Russia has opposed enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya. Additionally, Russia has altruistically profited from the Libyan gas flow being shut off as they have increased their supply of gas through northern Italy19. Russia has, however, agreed with the international consensus that Qadhafi is no longer capable of ruling Libya20.
Evaluation of European Response
Strictly considering the EU and its member state, it would seem that the response of the member states is more important than that of the EU. This is because each state retains control over their own budget and military. Without the financial and military support of the member states, the EU is powerless. However, when we consider the European response on a more global scale, the individual member states rely on the EU to give legitimacy to their actions. Additionally, the EU looks toward the UN for this same legitimacy. One of the main features of intergovernmental organizations such as the EU, UN, NATO, and AU is to give legitimacy to state actions conducted outside their borders. For this reason, France voiced its opposition to taking any action in Libya before consulting with the UN and it is why all state actors have attempted to coordinate their efforts through one of these organizations. The dynamic is further complicated by the need for US financial or military backing in order for NATO or the UN to commit to any actions. It is similar to the way the EU must look for French and/or German support before taking any action. Within the EU, France and Germany are the primary financial and military backers of the organization and nothing happens without the support of at least one of them.
Works Cited
“AFP: Austria Freezes Libyan Assets.” Google. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5imD4HWANGZ7FYq8C4sdSmXDm074g?docId=CNG.4633d09e43b19b31d6b5fb4eb63f2bd4.1a1>.
“AFP: China Urges End to Libya Violence.” Google. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hsTxusFUTa9lxopdxyPJYn7uBkmg?docId=CNG.4633d09e43b19b31d6b5fb4eb63f2bd4.6f1>.
“AFP: ‘Political Corpse’ Kadhafi Must Quit: Kremlin.” Google. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gcxplh7VhAKuk7ifgFTH440fkndw?docId=CNG.4633d09e43b19b31d6b5fb4eb63f2bd4.681>.
Baldwin, Clive. “Libya’s Rulers Must Know Crimes against Humanity Will Be Punished | Clive Baldwin | Law | Guardian.co.uk.” Latest News, Comment and Reviews from the Guardian | Guardian.co.uk. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/mar/01/libya-rulers-international-criminal-court>.
“BBC News – Hillary Clinton: Libya May Become Democracy or Face Civil War.” BBC – Homepage. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12611925>.
“China’s Foreign Policy: Setting Sail for Libya | The Economist.” The Economist – World News, Politics, Economics, Business & Finance. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/asiaview/2011/03/chinas_foreign_policy>.
Diaa Bekheet March. “France: No-Fly Zone Over Libya – Only With UN Approval.” News | English. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.voanews.com/english/news/France-No-Fly-Zone-Over-Libya-Only-With-UN-Approval-117157113.html>.
“EU Imposes Sanctions on Libya (Roundup).” Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/africa/news/article_1622565.php/EU-imposes-sanctions-on-Libya-Roundup>.
“EU Leaders’ Special Summit To Discuss Libya.” RTTNews – Realtime Financial News, Economic News, Forex News, Stock Alerts, Breaking News…. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1565087&SM=1>.
“EU to Impose Sanctions on Libya Later Monday (1st Lead).” Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/africa/news/article_1622550.php/EU-to-impose-sanctions-on-Libya-later-Monday-1st-Lead>.
“Eyewitness News: France Criticises AU over Libyan Crisis Silence.” Eyewitness News: In Touch, In Tune and Independent. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=60580>.
“Gazprom Fills Libya Gap | News | The Moscow Times.” The Moscow Times | Russia’s Only Daily English-language Newspaper. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/gazprom-fills-libya-gap/431828.html>.
“Indians Stranded in Libya Want Govt to Do More – India News – IBNLive.” CNN-IBN, Live India News, Breaking News, World, Business, Tech, Sports & Entertainment News. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://ibnlive.in.com/news/indians-stranded-in-libya-want-govt-to-do-more/144800-3.html>.
“Libya Sanctions: China’s New Role at the UN – CSMonitor.com.” The Christian Science Monitor – CSMonitor.com. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2011/0228/Libya-sanctions-China-s-new-role-at-the-UN>.
“Lieberman, McCain Call for More Forceful U.S. Response to Libya Violence – FoxNews.com.” America’s Election HQ – Politics – FoxNews.com. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/02/27/lieberman-mccain-call-more-forceful-us-response-libya-violence>.
Morgan, David, and Missy Ryan. “U.S. Says Will Keep Squeezing Gaddafi until He Quits | Reuters.” Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. 01 Mar. 2011. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/01/us-libya-usa-idUSTRE7204YL20110301>.
“Pro-Qaddafi Forces Step Up Attacks on Rebels as U.S. Repositions Ships Near North Africa – FoxNews.com.” FoxNews.com – Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/28/military-repositions-forces-preparation-libya-response/>.
“Qadhafi, Obama & Our Gandhian Legacy.” Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/article1501313.ece?homepage=true>.
“South Africa Calls on AU to End Violence in Libya – Times LIVE.” Breaking SA and World News, Sports, Business, Entertainment and More – Times LIVE. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article940555.ece/South-Africa-calls-on-AU-to-end-violence-in-Libya>.
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Watts, William L. “How Mideast Unrest May Affect Spain, Italy Economic Report – MarketWatch.” MarketWatch – Stock Market Quotes, Business News, Financial News. Web. 01 Mar. 2011. <http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-mideast-unrest-may-affect-spain-italy-2011-03-01>.
1“Lieberman stopped short of calling for direct American military involvement, but McCain did not rule it out.” (“Lieberman, McCain Call for More Forceful U.S. Response to Libya Violence”)
2“Hafiz Ghoga, the spokesman for the newly formed National Libyan Council in the rebel controlled eastern city of Benghazi , said “foreign intervention” would not be welcome.” (“Libyan rebels say they don’t want foreign intervention”)
3“The United States and its allies have imposed sanctions on Libya and are considering whether to establish a no-fly zone over the country, where a resistance army is building against Qaddafi.” (“Pro-Qaddafi Forces Step Up Attacks on Rebels as U.S. Repositions Ships Near North Africa”)
4“France says it is disappointed by the weak response from the African Union (AU) on the Libyan crisis.” (“France criticises AU over Libyan crisis silence”)
5“Clinton said the United States and its NATO allies were actively considering imposing a “no-fly” zone over Libya.” (“U.S. says will keep squeezing Gaddafi until he quits”)
6“French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Tuesday there should not be any international intervention into the bloody upheaval in Libya without prior approval from the United Nations.” (“France: No-Fly Zone Over Libya – Only With UN Approval”)
7“The EU is to adopt sanctions later on Monday, together with ‘additional accompanying measures’ to up the pressure on Gaddafi’s regime, Ashton said on the sidelines of a UN meeting in Geneva.” (“EU to impose sanctions on Libya later Monday (1st Lead)”)
8“On Monday, the European Union had decided to impose a tough set of sanctions on the Qadhafi regime over its violent crackdown on protesters.
In line with the bloc’s call, three member states – Austria, Britain and Germany – froze the assets of embattled Libyan leader Moammar Qadhafi and his family in those countries.” (“EU Leaders’ Special Summit To Discuss Libya”)
9“The EU imposed an arms embargo as well as an assets freeze against Libya following Kadhafi’s crackdown on popular unrest sweeping the country.” (“Austria freezes Libyan assets”)
10“The UN had demanded a visa ban, asset freeze and arms embargo. In addition, the EU decided to impose a ban on the sale of non-lethal goods which could be used in the crackdown.” (“EU imposes sanctions on Libya (Roundup)”)
11“The bigger fear is that rising oil prices could give the European Central Bank a further excuse to hike interest rates.” (“How Mideast unrest may affect Spain, Italy”)
12“France on Tuesday sent two planes carrying medical equipment and staff to eastern Libya, an area controlled by rebels” (“France: No-Fly Zone Over Libya – Only With UN Approval”)
13“As the situation in Libya continues to deteriorate we would like to reiterate our support for the call made by the AU Peace and Security Council for an ‘end to the indiscriminate and excessive use of force against demonstrators’,” said International Relations Deputy Minister Marius Fransman. (“South Africa calls on AU to end violence in Libya”)
14“More than three thousand people have been evacuated from Libya, but there are still many anxiously waiting to return to their homes in India.” (“Indians stranded in Libya want govt to do more”)
15“We’re “twittering” and twiddling our thumbs waiting for our two warships and the fleet replenishment tanker in tow to reach Libya’s coast, hopefully by mid-March.” (“Qadhafi, Obama & our Gandhian legacy”)
16“China remains unusually shy about military deployment beyond its shores. But its decision to dispatch four military transport aircraft to Libya and a guided-missile frigate to waters nearby suggests that it might be rethinking its posture. ” (“Setting sail for Libya”)
17“Most of all, China, as one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Council, must join Western powers in condemning human-rights abuses in other countries – despite such abuses in its own country.” (“Libya sanctions: China’s new role at the UN”)
18“Beijing, which usually opposes sanctions targeting individual states, voted for UN Security Council action to slap a travel ban and assets freeze on leader Moamer Kadhafi and his family and associates and an arms embargo against Libya.” (“China urges end to Libya violence”)
19“Gazprom stepped up gas supplies to Italy to 2.5 times normal levels after Italy’s gas supplies from Libya were cut off, a Gazprom source said Monday.” (“Gazprom Fills Libya Gap”)
20“Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi is a “living political corpse” who has no place in the civilised world and must quit power, the Interfax news agency quoted a Kremlin source as saying Tuesday.” (“’Political corpse’ Kadhafi must quit: Kremlin”)
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[...] the end of class today we were discussing why the EU has not responded to the events in Libya through the CSDP. Below are a few articles that I think shed some light on that [...]
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