British lawmakers blame David Cameron for crisis in Libya and rise of Daesh terrorist group

David Cameron addresses the crowds in Benghazi, Libya, following 2011’s military operations against Muammar Gaddafi. (AFP photo)

British lawmakers have blamed former UK prime minister David Cameron for the unending crisis in Libya and the rise of the Daesh terrorist group there. 

In a damning report, MPs condemned Cameron’s military intervention in Libya in 2011 for lacking both “accurate intelligence” and a coherent strategy.

In March 2011, UK armed forces started military action against the Libyan regime after ruler Muammar Gaddafi resisted against the United Nations' request to stop cracking down on Libyan anti-government protesters.

British warships were also in action in a naval blockade of Libya. The sources revealed that the Royal Navy's HMS Westminster was among the ships engaged in the mission.

Around 20 French fighter jets also bombed the positions of forces loyal to the beleaguered Gaddafi.

In addition, US B-2 aircraft dropped forty-five 2,000-pound bombs on key Libyan cities, according to the Stop the War Coalition.

The result of the French, British and US intervention “was political and economic collapse, inter-militia and inter-tribal warfare, humanitarian and migrant crises, widespread human rights violations, the spread of Gaddafi regime weapons across the region and the growth of ISIL [Daesh] in north Africa,” the MPs said in their report.

“Through his decision-making in the national security council, former prime minister David Cameron was ultimately responsible for the failure to develop a coherent Libya strategy,” said the report by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Cameron, who stepped down as an MP on Monday, has claimed the Libyan people must be blamed for failing to take their chance of democracy.

However, he has refused to give evidence to the committee for his claims.

Takfiri Daesh militants parade through Sirte, Libya, February 18, 2015.

Prior to the military campaign, the UK Chief of the Defense Staff Lord Richards opposed the decision to switch the goal of regime change from the protection of the people of Benghazi.

“If the primary object of the coalition intervention was the urgent need to protect civilians in Benghazi, then this objective was achieved in March 2011 in less than 24 hours. This meant that a limited intervention to protect civilians drifted into an opportunist policy of regime change by military means," according to the MPs' report. 

Daesh has been taking advantage of the chaos embroiling Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow and death of Gaddafi in October 2011. Since then, Libya has almost become a failed state, with the central government holding no sway over the country. 

According to American journalist Don Debar, the United States and its allies such as Britain and France are responsible for destroying Africa’s wealthiest nation, Libya, in order to re-colonize the African continent.