Sir Jeremy Greenstock, UNA-UK's Chairman, was interviewed today on the BBC's World at One programme about the UK's military intervention and post-intervention statebuilding in Libya.
With the British public going to the polls in less than two weeks time, political parties have only just begun to grapple with the complex foreign policy issues which define Britain's place in a changing world.
Sir Jeremy's comments followed a speech given by Labour leader Ed Miliband at Chatham House, who had criticised the Government's commitment to post-conflict statebuidling in Libya after NATO intervened in 2011 to prevent then-President Gaddafi from massacring protesters in Benghazi.
Sir Jeremy expressed concern about the lack of engagement from European and North American states in the reconstruction of Libya after the intervention ended. He stressed that no government should intervene militarily without a clear idea of the desired political outcome and said that "both parties are guilty of not having thought clearly enough about the politics" or the resources needed to support a new Libyan government.
This is also a point made in UNA-UK's newly released 'Guide to R2P', which argues that post-conflict support and stabilisation are key elements of any action under the 'Responsibility to Protect'.
Sir Jeremy also referred to the need for the UK to improve its practical contribution to UN peacekeeping operations and supported the limit of two per cent of GDP being spent on defence.
Listen to Sir Jeremy's interview here (starts at 11m50).
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