NATO made the right call on helping Libya

Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Berlin, April 15, 2011.

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Washington Post:  [T]he international community and NATO had to act in Libya — and we did so quickly. Let me explain why, and why I believe our course of action to be the correct one.

First, we could not stand idly by while Col. Moammar Gaddafi unleashed indiscriminate violence against his people as they sought change from his despotic regime. Defying worldwide appeals for restraint, his forces brutally attacked Libyan civilians with tanks, heavy guns and snipers. …

Second, our actions have been based on the support of the international community, including the United Nations, the Arab League and countries in the region, every step of the way. …

Third, NATO is doing its utmost to fully enforce the U.N. mandate around the clock. Since we took over command of the mission in Libya on March 31, the operational tempo has not abated. We have flown more than 2,000 sorties, of which over 900 have been strike sorties. …

Our actions mean that the pro-Gaddafi forces cannot fight where they want, cannot fight how they want and cannot use the weapons that they want against the civilian population. …

NATO provides a tried and tested hub for the coordination of the efforts of all the allies. It also provides a trusted framework for including partner contributions. Together, allies and partners are contributing to the enforcement of United Nations resolutions 1970 and 1973. We have the capabilities required; we are using them effectively and successfully. And we are committed to providing all necessary forces and maximum operational flexibility within our mandate. On Thursday, NATO foreign ministers meeting in Berlin made it clear that we would continue to exert this pressure on legitimate targets as long as is necessary.

The writer is secretary general of NATO.  (photo: Getty)

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