In an attempt to reorganize the rebels in Libya, Britain is sending in military advisors to give advice to the rebel organization. The British Foreign Office, issued in a statement:

“This deployment is fully within the terms of UNSCR 1973 both in respect of civilian protection and its provision expressly ruling out a foreign occupation force on Libyan soil. Consistent with our obligations under that Resolution, our officers will not be involved in training or arming the opposition’s fighting forces. Nor will they be involved in the planning or execution of the NTC’s military operations or in the provision of any other form of operational military advice.”

It is reminiscent of the Vietnam war, where similar events took place with advisors first going in, by order of John F Kennedy, then turning into a full-scale war which took the lives of over 1 million people and which in-turn sustained injuries to over a million people.

Under the current UN resolution which passed with no objections (UNSCR 1973) there is not to be any sort of occupying force.

Though the EU has contemplated to the UN that it would support the intervention of a ground force or a protection force to protect convoys of aid which go into small access routes into places like Misrata, Benghazi and other hot spots under attack or under threat.

It is believed that the EU could commit up to 1,500 troops to Libya. According to the Guardian¹ an “EU official” stated that this force “would be to secure sea and land corridors inside the country,”.

Under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973², member states can “take all necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack”, with the cooperation of the Secretary-General of the UN.

Coming back to the British side of sending advisors to Libya, it is believed that only 10 military advisors will be sent sourced from a Breakfast piece with ABC radio, which interviewed Major General Tim Cross, a veteran of the first and second Gulf wars in Iraq who had involvement in NATO.

British Foreign Secretary, William Hague stated the reasons or the use of these military advisor’s:

He stated they were there to help save civilian lives under the UN resolution by helping the opposition force organise, in ways that would effect:

  • Communication
  • Logistics
  • Aid
  • Humanitarian supplies

Subsequently Mr. Hague stated that they were not there to train or advise on matters of military fighting/strategy, but instead advice on how to get aid and humanitarian supplies around with the use of logistics and communication equipment.