Libyan air strikes: Armed Forces minister admits there is no exit strategy
The Government does not know how long the Armed Forces will be engaged in Libya, a defence minister admitted as debate intensified over the likely outcome, cost and leadership of the mission.
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Nick Harvey, the Armed Forces minister, was asked how long Britain would be involved in the military operation in north Africa. He replied: “How long is a piece of string? We don’t know how long this is going to go on for.”
His admission, three days into the intervention, came as ministers faced mounting pressure to set out the limits of Britain’s involvement and explain their eventual exit strategy.
MPs were becoming increasingly concerned that Britain would be “sucked in” to a prolonged conflict.
Adding to the sense of uncertainty, France and Britain remained at odds over a plan for Nato to take over command of military operations when the US winds down its involvement, a transition expected in days.
In other developments:
• A defiant Colonel Gaddafi appeared on state television, addressing supporters from a compound in Tripoli that had been bombed by coalition forces. "We will not surrender ... we will defeat them," he told the crowds. "We are ready for the fight, whether it will be a short or a long one."
• US troops entered Libya briefly to rescue the pilot of a US fighter that crashed near the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. In a potential propaganda disaster, the rescuers opened fire on Libyans who were trying to help the pilot, injuring six of them.
• The Ministry of Defence said three nights of air strikes were having a “very real effect” on Muammar Gaddafi’s regime and a no-fly zone was being maintained. But the head of US forces said loyalist forces were continuing to attack rebels and civilians, especially in and around the city of Misurata. Anti-aircraft fire was heard again over Tripoli last night.
• Qatar made the first military contribution by an Arab nation to the UN campaign. Two Qatari fighter jets and a transport plane arrived in Crete to help police the no-fly zone.
• David Cameron spoke to President Barack Obama for the first time since air strikes began, with both agreeing that “a lot of work remained to be done” in Libya. They also agreed that Nato would have “a key role” in future operations but stopped short of proposing that it took command.
The House of Commons overwhelmingly backed Britain’s role in Libya this week, but uncertainty about the eventual exit strategy has alarmed many MPs.
The Daily Telegraph has calculated that patrolling the no-fly zone is costing Britain about £3.2 million a day, before a weapon is fired. In a BBC interview, Mr Harvey admitted that the Western intervention could result in a “stalemate” between Gaddafi and the rebels, with each holding on to part of the country. “If it is, so be it,” he said. “That wouldn’t be desirable, but a stable outcome where they weren’t killing each other would in a sense be one way of achieving the humanitarian objective.”
He also refused to rule out a small-scale deployment of British ground troops to Libya.
Rory Stewart, a Conservative MP and former diplomat, said that ministers should ensure that Britain’s involvement was strictly limited to enforcing a no-fly zone, and avoid being dragged into the country’s internal conflict.
“We have not declared war on Gaddafi and we should not declare war on Gaddafi,” he said. “Do not get sucked into Libya.”
Mark Lancaster, a Tory MP, TA soldier and parliamentary aide to Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, said ministers should push for a new United Nations agreement on Libya’s future. “I fear that we have no clear exit at the moment in Libya,” he said. “That is no reason not to go in, but I fear that we will need further UN resolutions before we see the end to the situation.”
John Baron, another Tory backbencher, told the BBC that ministers had not explained how the mission would unfold. “What is the exit strategy?” he said. “If this is not known, we risk being drawn into an ill-defined mission whilst civilian causalities rise. If there is a stalemate on the ground, are we simply going to walk away? These are questions that are not being answered at the moment, and I think they should be.”
Government sources said it was impossible to put a precise timetable on Britain’s involvement, but insisted that Mr Cameron was clear that British Forces would not become entangled in years of operations as they were in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Norway, which is sending fighters to police the no-fly zone, said it had put a three-month time limit on its involvement in Libya.
Britain has deployed a Royal Navy submarine, RAF Tornado and Typhoon fighters and a range of reconnaissance aircraft to the international intervention.
British forces did not fire on Libyan targets on Monday night, suggesting that the air strike phase may end soon, marking a new phase in which the coalition focuses on policing the no-fly zone.
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