Abstract
In the heated debate that has emerged over whether the Libyan intervention of 2011 advanced the entrenchment of the norm of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), there is one facet of the Libyan case that both R2P celebrationists like Alex Bellamy and Paul Williams (2011; also Bellamy 2011), Thomas Weiss (2011), and Ramesh Thakur (2011c) and sceptics like the editors of this volume (Murray 2011; Hehir 2012) agree: the Libyan case was unusual. Indeed, Tim Dunne and Jess Gifkins (2011) have gone so far as to use the ‘perfect storm’ trope to describe the interconnected set of permissive conditions that allowed the use of force against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. These unusual conditions included both domestic and internal elements. First, and most importantly, Gaddafi was willing to openly threaten his opponents with slaughter, and his televised claims that his opponents were ‘rats’ and ‘cockroaches’ (Ford Rojas 2011), the latter characterization explicitly evoking the word used by Hutu génocidaires in Rwanda to describe their victims. Second, although relations between Libya and the West had improved since 2001, it was relatively easy to re-demonize both Gaddafi and his regime simply by recalling a string of past misdeeds: the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland; the 1986 bombing of a discotheque in Berlin; or the 1984 murder of a British police officer by a sniper shooting from the premises of the Libyan embassy in London.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Alberts, S. and M. Kennedy (2011) ‘Canada Will Pursue Sanctions against Libya: Harper’, Postmedia News, 26 February. Available online at: www.canada.com/news/Canada+will+pursue+sanctions+against+Libya+Harper/4349026/story.html
Axworthy, L. and A. Rock (2011a) ‘World Leaders Must Call R2P What It Is’, Ottawa Citizen, 2 March.
Axworthy, L. and A. Rock (2011b) ‘A Victory for the Responsibility to Protect’, Ottawa Citizen, 25 October.
Bellamy, A. J. (2011) ‘Libya and the Responsibility to Protect: The Exception and the Norm’, Ethics & International Affairs, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 263–9.
Bellamy, A. J. and P. D. Williams (2011) ‘The New Politics of Protection? Côte d’Ivoire, Libya and the Responsibility to Protect’, International Affairs, vol. 82, no. 4, pp. 825–50.
Cameron, D. (2011) ‘Prime Minister Statement on the UN Security Council Resolution on Libya’, 18 March. Available online at: www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?id=568620282&view=PressS
Cameron, D. and N. Sarkozy (2011) ‘Joint Statement by the PM and President Sarkozy’, 28 March. Available online at: www.number10.gov.uk/news/joint-statement-on-libya-by-the-pm-and-president-sarkozy/ and www.archives.elysee.fr/president/les-actualites/declarations/2011/declaration-de-mm-nicolas-sarkozy-et-david.10987.html
Canada, National Defence (2011) ‘Operation MOBILE’. Available online at: www.cefcom-comfec.forces.gc.ca/pa-ap/ops/mobile/index-eng.asp
Canada, Parliament of (2011a) House of Commons Debates, 3rd Session, 40th Parliament, edited Hansard, 145:145, 21 March. Available online at: www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=3&DocId=5039495
Canada, Parliament of (2011b) House of Commons Debates, 1st Session, 41st Parliament, edited Hansard, 146:008, 14 June. Available online at: www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1&DocId=5089492
Canada, Parliament of (2011c) House of Commons Debates, 1st Session, 41st Parliament, edited Hansard, 146:020, 26 September. Available online at: www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1&DocId=5132736
CIPS (2011) ‘The Responsibility to Protect 10 Years On: Reflections on Its Past, Present and Future’, panel discussion, Centre for International Policy Studies, University of Ottawa. Available online at: http://cips.uottawa.ca/event/the-responsibility-to-protect-10-years-on-reflections-on-its-past-present-and-future-2/
Clark, C. (2011) ‘Canada Prepared to Impose Its Own Sanctions against Libya, PM Says’, The Globe and Mail, 26 February, p. A12.
Cotler, I. and J. Genser (2011) ‘Libya and the Responsibility to Protect’, The New York Times, 28 February.
Dallaire, R. A. and J. Bernstein (2011) ‘Does the World Belong in Libya’s War? Yes. Now Let’s Hope It’s Not Too Late’, Foreign Policy, 18 March. Available online at: www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/03/18/does_the_world_belong_in_ libyas_war?
Dallaire, R. A., F. Chalk and K. Matthews (2011) ‘Responsabilité de protéger: 10 ans plus tard, tout reste à faire’, La Presse, 23 October. Available online at: www.lapresse.ca/debats/votre-opinion/201110/21/01–4459662-responsabilite-de-proteger-10-ans-plus-tard-tout-reste-a-faire.php
Davis, J. (2009) ‘Liberal-era Diplomatic Language Killed Off’, Embassy Magazine, 1 July. Available online at: http://embassymag.ca/page/printpage/diplomatic_ language-7-1-2009
Davis, J. and L. Berthiaume (2012) ‘Canada Spent $25m Bombing Gadhafi Forces’, Postmedia News, 18 April. Available online at: www.canada.com/Canada+spent+bombing+Gadhafi+forces/6480634/story.html
Dunne, T. and J. Gifkins (2011) ‘Libya and R2P: Norm Consolidation or a Perfect Storm?’, openDemocracy, 19 April. Available online at: www.opendemocracy.net/tim-dunne-jess-gifkins/libya-and-r2p-norm-consolidation-or-perfect-storm
Evans, G. (2011) ‘UN Targets Libya with Pinpoint Accuracy’, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 March. Available online at: www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/un-targets-libya-with-pinpoint-accuracy-20110323-1c6pc.html
Fitzpatrick, M. (2011) ‘Harper Heads to Paris Meeting on Libya’, cbcnews.ca, 18 March. Available online at: www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/03/18/pol-harper-libya.html
Ford Rojas, J. P. (2011) ‘Muammar Gaddafi in His Own Words’, 20 October. Available online at: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8838644/Muammar-Gaddafi-in-his-own-words.html
Gotlieb, A. E. (2005) ‘Romanticism and Realism in Canadian Foreign Policy’, Policy Options (February), pp. 16–27.
Harper, S. (2011a) ‘Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on Recent Developments in Libya’, Ottawa, 21 February. Available online at: www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=3&featureId=6&pageId=49&id=3980
Harper, S. (2011b) ‘Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the Current Situation in Libya’, Ottawa, 25 February. Available online at: www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=3&featureId=6&pageId=49&id=3990
Harper, S. (2011c) ‘PM Thanks Members of the Canadian Armed Forces for Their Efforts to Protect Civilians in Libya’, Trapani, Italy, 1 September. Available online at: www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=2&pageId=46&id=4322
Harper, S. (2011d) ‘PM Pays Tribute to Troops who Served in Libya’, Ottawa, 24 November. Available online at: www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=2&pageId=46&id=4507
Hehir, A. (2012) ‘Syria and the Responsibility to Protect: Rhetoric Meets Reality’, e-International Relations, 14 March. Available online at: www.e-ir.info/2012/03/14/syria-and-the-responsibility-to-protect-rhetoric-meets-reality
ICISS (2001) The Responsibility to Protect: Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (Ottawa: International Development Research Council).
Jones, B. D. (2011) ‘Libya and the Responsibilities of Power’, Survival, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 51–60.
MacKay, P. (2011a) ‘Where We Are, Where We’re Going’, speech to the Conference of Defence Associations, Ottawa, 25 February. Available online at: www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3816
MacKay, P. (2011b) ‘Return of HMCS Charlottetown’, Halifax, 2 September. Available online at: www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3942
MacKay, P. (2011c) ‘Return of Personnel from Op Mobile’, Greenwood, NS, 4 November. Available online at: www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=4042
Murray, R. W. (2011) ‘Libya Mission was Intervention, not R2P’, Embassy Magazine, 16 November. Available online at: http://embassymag.ca/page/view/notr2p-11–16-2011
Nossal, K. R., S. Roussel and S. Paquin (2011) International Policy and Politics in Canada (Toronto: Pearson Education Canada).
Nossal, K. R. (2012) ‘The Liberal Past in the Conservative Present: Internationalism in the Harper Era’, in C. Turenne Sjolander and H. Smith (eds), Canada in the World: Perspectives on Canadian Foreign Policy (Toronto: Oxford University Press).
Obama, B. (2011) ‘Remarks by the President in Address to the Nation on Libya’, Washington, DC, 28 March. Available online at: www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/03/28/remarks-president-address-nation-libya
Payton, L. (2011) ‘Libya Mission Will Include Canada until End, PM Vows’, CBCNews.ca, 1 September. Available online at: www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/09/01/pol-harper-libya-future.html
Piggot, P. (2011) ‘Task Force Libeccio: Answering the Call’, Front Line Defence, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 30–1. Available online at: www.frontline-global.com/downloads/Libeccio.pdf
Sarkozy, N. (2011) ‘Nicolas Sarkozy Speech on No-fly Zone in Libya’ [20 March]. Available online at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVMCe2SA6GM
Siskind, J. (2011) ‘Canada and the Responsibility to Protect’, The Mark, 19 October. Available online at: www.themarknews.com/articles/7072-canada-and-the-responsibility-to-protect
Smith, G. (2011) ‘Explainer: What is Libya’s “Responsibility to Protect” Its Citizens?’, The Globe and Mail, 18 March.
Thakur, R. (2011a) ‘We Have a Duty to Stop Libyan Slaughter’, Toronto Star, 28 February. Available online at: www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/946306--we-have-a-duty-to-stop-libyan-slaughter
Thakur, R. (2011b) ‘UN Breathes Life into “Responsibility to Protect”’, Toronto Star, 21 March. Available online at: www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/957664--un-breathes-life-into-responsibility-to-protect
Thakur, R. (2011c) ‘Has R2P Worked in Libya?’ Canberra Times, 18 September. Available online at: www.canberratimes.com.au/opinion/editorial/has-r2p-worked-in-libya-20110918–1wqqb.html#ixzz1xIAlrLqd
Weiss, T. G. (2011) ‘RtoP Alive and Well after Libya’, Ethics & International Affairs, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 287–92.
Welsh, J. (2011) ‘Civilian Protection in Libya: Putting Coercion and Controversy Back into RtoP’, Ethics & International Affairs, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 255–62.
United Nations (2005) A/RES/60/1, 2005 World Summit Outcome Document, General Assembly. Available online at: http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N05/487/60/PDF/N0548760.pdf
United Nations (2011a) S/RES/1970, 26 February. Available online at: http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/245/58/PDF/N1124558.pdf
United Nations (2011b) S/RES/1973, 17 March. Available online at: http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/268/39/PDF/N1126839.pdf
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2013 Kim Richard Nossal
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nossal, K.R. (2013). The Use — and Misuse — of R2P: The Case of Canada. In: Hehir, A., Murray, R. (eds) Libya, the Responsibility to Protect and the Future of Humanitarian Intervention. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137273956_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137273956_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-44546-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-27395-6
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)