The pretext for the U.N. no fly zone in Libya was to protect Libyan civilians from Gaddafi’s army. The U.S., France and others then exceeded the U.N. mandate by attacking Gaddafi’s forces more generally, leading eventually to Gaddafi’s capture and field execution.
Back in March I asked whether Obama would protect Gaddafi supporting civilians once the regime was overthrown, Are Some Libyan Civilians More Equal?
If the rebels start attacking pro-Gaddafi civilians, will we intervene to protect pro-Gaddafi civilians pursuant to the U.N. Resolution?
We now know the answer, and it is that Obama has abandoned pro-Gaddafi civilians who are being driven out of their towns and hunted down, as reported by AP:
This town once loyal to Moammar Gadhafi is no more: its 25,000 residents have fled, fearing retribution from vengeful victors from the neighboring city of Misrata who have burned and ransacked homes, crossed out Tawergha’s name on roadsigns and vowed not to let anyone return.Tawergha, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Misrata, is just one casualty of score-settling following Libya’s 8-month civil war that ended with Gadhafi’s Oct. 20 capture and death.The country’s interim leaders have appealed for restraint, but seem unable to control revolutionary forces whose recent vigilante acts, including the suspected killing of Gadhafi while in custody, have begun to tarnish their heroic image abroad.
There will be no U.N. resolutions or NATO intervention for those civilians. The U.N. mandate to protect civilians ends on Monday, at the request of the Obama administration.
Obama has spiked the football and moved on.
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