Former NATO chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, tells ‘Upfront’: “the US did not provide the necessary leadership” to ensure stability in post-war Libya

Five years after Colonel Gaddafi’s death, Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks with ‘UpFront’ about the Libyan intervention:

• Praises the 2011 NATO air war against the Gaddafi regime: “It was really a model intervention”
• Says “the US did not provide the necessary leadership” to ensure stability in post-war Libya
• Absolves Hillary Clinton of any responsibility for the post-intervention chaos: “She doesn’t bear responsibility for the mess in Libya today”

(Washington, D.C. – 20th October) - In an interview with Al Jazeera English’s current affairs show: ‘UpFront’, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former head of NATO and the former Danish prime minister, speaks about the Libyan intervention, five years after Gaddafi’s death.

“It was really a model intervention,” Rasmussen told ‘UpFront’ host Mehdi Hasan.

“It was a very successful military intervention,” he added. “A precision operation with a minimum of civilian casualties, a minimum of collateral damage.”

Ex-Danish PM Rasmussen, who was the secretary-general of NATO during the 2011 military intervention in Libya, and helped organise the international coalition, did however criticise the United States and the international community for failing to provide post-intervention leadership.

“It’s an unfortunate example that the US did not provide the necessary leadership,” he said.

“Whenever in the future we engage in military operations, such operations should be accompanied by a well thought-through political strategy for handling the post-conflict situation,” he added.  

During the interview, Rasmussen was asked about Hillary Clinton’s role in the military intervention and whether she bares any responsibility for the current instability in Libya.

“She doesn’t bear responsibility for the mess in Libya today,” he said. “I don’t think you can blame Hillary Clinton or NATO.”

A recent report by the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee found that, as a result of NATO’s intervention, Libya has seen political and economic collapse, internal warfare, humanitarian and refugee crisis, the growth of ISIL, and the spread of Gaddafi’s weapons across the region.

When asked by Hasan whether his conscience was clear over his own role in the intervention, given the subsequent violence, Rasmussen responded, “Yeah. Absolutely.”

“Because we started an operation based on a UN mandate. We concluded after having solved that problem,” he added.  

Note to Editors

• This ‘UpFront’ interview with Anders Fogh Rasmussen airs this Friday October 21st at 19:30GMT.
• The full show will be available through this link: www.aljazeera.com/upfront from 19:30GMT onwards.
• If using quotes please credit Al Jazeera English and ‘UpFront’ and please add this link to online copywww.aljazeera.com/upfront
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