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Arab countries have been urged to take part in military strikes against Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces in Libya amid growing concerns about their commitment to the campaign.
By Steven Swinford
22 Mar 2011
Yesterday the United Arab Emirates, one of only two Arab nations to have offered military assistance, said that its role would be "confined to the delivery of humanitarian assistance".
Amr Mussa, the secretarygeneral of the Arab League, said at the weekend that he wanted "protection of civilians in Libya, not bombing other civilians".
Yesterday, following the intervention of David Cameron and Ban KiMoon, the UN secretarygeneral, Mr Mussa insisted he had been misquoted and publicly backed the operation in Libya. However, Arab countries had yet to use their extensive military assets to help enforce the nofly zone and many appeared more concerned with suppressing unrest in their own countries.
Col Tim Collins, who participated in the Army's early campaign in Iraq, said: "Their support is crucial, otherwise it looks like yet another attack by the West on Arab nations. We should include Arab nations in the command and control of the operation, to ensure they are involved. They have the gear, there are missed opportunities here."
Gen Sir Mike Jackson, the former head of the Army, said: "The continuing support of Arab nations is vital, the leaders of the coalition are going to have to work that Arab sensitivity really quite hard. They are reluctant to see nonArab nations taking action within the territory of the Arab League."
Egypt, which has one of the most extensive military arsenals in the region, including 565 combat aircraft, elected not to participate in the operation in Libya, citing "internal security" concerns following its revolution.
Saudi Arabia, which has more than 300 fighter jets, was silent on its involvement in Libya. It faces growing unrest within its own borders following the arrest of 50 protesters outside the Interior Ministry in Riyadh on Sunday. It is also leading an Arab task force which is suppressing protests in Bahrain.
According to French defence officials, Qatar has pledged four fighter jets to support the allied effort, but the planes were yet to carry out a mission.
The UAE's withdrawal of military support was likely to be the most significant concern for Western forces as France had been convinced that the UAE would supply Mirage 2000 fighter jets. Instead, it limited its support to humanitarian aid.
Sir Mike added: "The request by the Arab League for an air exclusion zone was very important. That sense of it not being purely a Western operation but one which includes the Arab League and its members is most important politically."
An Arab League official said that saving Libya from Col Gaddafi was an "Arab and nationalist duty".
Nassif Hitti, head of the league's mission in Paris, said: "The Libyan situation is very dangerous, there are fears over the future of Libya.
"I think Libya is an Arab and nationalist duty, before it is an international duty, and as it is a humanitarian duty too. The aim is to save Libya, to preserve the unity of its heritage."
Abdul Rahman bin Hamad alAttiyah, secretarygeneral of the sixnation Gulf Cooperation Council, said the aim of the Libyan operation was to protect citizens, and that it should not be perceived as an invasion of an Arab country.
"What is happening now is not an intervention. It is about protecting the people from bloodshed," he said.
Source: Telegraph
By Steven Swinford
22 Mar 2011
Yesterday the United Arab Emirates, one of only two Arab nations to have offered military assistance, said that its role would be "confined to the delivery of humanitarian assistance".
Amr Mussa, the secretarygeneral of the Arab League, said at the weekend that he wanted "protection of civilians in Libya, not bombing other civilians".
Yesterday, following the intervention of David Cameron and Ban KiMoon, the UN secretarygeneral, Mr Mussa insisted he had been misquoted and publicly backed the operation in Libya. However, Arab countries had yet to use their extensive military assets to help enforce the nofly zone and many appeared more concerned with suppressing unrest in their own countries.
Col Tim Collins, who participated in the Army's early campaign in Iraq, said: "Their support is crucial, otherwise it looks like yet another attack by the West on Arab nations. We should include Arab nations in the command and control of the operation, to ensure they are involved. They have the gear, there are missed opportunities here."
Gen Sir Mike Jackson, the former head of the Army, said: "The continuing support of Arab nations is vital, the leaders of the coalition are going to have to work that Arab sensitivity really quite hard. They are reluctant to see nonArab nations taking action within the territory of the Arab League."
Egypt, which has one of the most extensive military arsenals in the region, including 565 combat aircraft, elected not to participate in the operation in Libya, citing "internal security" concerns following its revolution.
Saudi Arabia, which has more than 300 fighter jets, was silent on its involvement in Libya. It faces growing unrest within its own borders following the arrest of 50 protesters outside the Interior Ministry in Riyadh on Sunday. It is also leading an Arab task force which is suppressing protests in Bahrain.
According to French defence officials, Qatar has pledged four fighter jets to support the allied effort, but the planes were yet to carry out a mission.
The UAE's withdrawal of military support was likely to be the most significant concern for Western forces as France had been convinced that the UAE would supply Mirage 2000 fighter jets. Instead, it limited its support to humanitarian aid.
Sir Mike added: "The request by the Arab League for an air exclusion zone was very important. That sense of it not being purely a Western operation but one which includes the Arab League and its members is most important politically."
An Arab League official said that saving Libya from Col Gaddafi was an "Arab and nationalist duty".
Nassif Hitti, head of the league's mission in Paris, said: "The Libyan situation is very dangerous, there are fears over the future of Libya.
"I think Libya is an Arab and nationalist duty, before it is an international duty, and as it is a humanitarian duty too. The aim is to save Libya, to preserve the unity of its heritage."
Abdul Rahman bin Hamad alAttiyah, secretarygeneral of the sixnation Gulf Cooperation Council, said the aim of the Libyan operation was to protect citizens, and that it should not be perceived as an invasion of an Arab country.
"What is happening now is not an intervention. It is about protecting the people from bloodshed," he said.
Source: Telegraph