MPs back Libya military action

BRITAIN could not stand by and watch innocent citizens die at the hands of Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi, an Oldham MP has warned.

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher said while he supported last night’s Commons vote on the UN resolution to enforce a no-fly zone, questions needed to be answered.

He said: “We should be proud of our part in protecting innocent civilians against virtual genocide. This has UN backing and is not another Iraq and there would have been a bloodbath without it. However, there are some very long-term concerns and these need addressing.

“Some people, including Defence Secretary Liam Fox, believe the UN resolution paves the way for a regime change and, however much people would like to see the end of Gaddafi, it does not do this, it is about protecting civilians.

“We also need to think about if Gaddafi is killed by Libyan military the country could descend into civil war.”

Mr Meacher also said keeping the support of the Arab League who voted for the no-fly zone was vital.

“This must not become a Western venture and keeping their support and listening to their concerns and needs is crucial,” he said.

“We also need to look at whether this is now a precedent. The UN did not intervene in Rwanda and if the policy is now to fight dictators who block democratic reform what about Yemen, Algeria and Bahrain?”

MPs voted 557-13 in favour of Britain’s involvement in the Libyan mission, following an all-day debate promised by David Cameron after he secured the UN resolution authorising military action.

All three major party leaders are firmly behind the operation. and both Mr Meacher and Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams supported the motion.

Mrs Abrahams said: “It’s with regret that I supported the UN resolution and the need for implementing a no-fly zone in Libya on humanitarian grounds.

“However, I believe we should be pushing the government for their medium to long-term plans beyond this phase; we must learn from our mistakes of the past.

“I believe we should resist the pressure to commit ground forces but if this should prove to be necessary it should be led by Arab League forces as a last resort. We should also maintain diplomatic and economic pressure on Gaddafi to come to the negotiating table and minimise bloodshed on all sides.”

The vote came after Downing Street appeared to slap down the Chief of the Defence Staff for dismissing direct targeting of Gaddafi.

General Sir David Richards bluntly stated that such a move was "not allowed" under UN security council resolution 1973.

But Foreign Secretary William Hague and Defence Secretary Liam Fox have both refused to rule out the possibility of striking at Gaddafi as part of efforts to protect civilians.