In March 2011, the United Kingdom and France, with the support of the United States,
led the international community to support an intervention in Libya to protect civilians
from attacks by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. This policy was not informed by
accurate intelligence. In particular, the Government failed to identify that the threat
to civilians was overstated and that the rebels included a significant Islamist element.
By the summer of 2011, the limited intervention to protect civilians had drifted into an
opportunist policy of regime change. That policy was not underpinned by a strategy to
support and shape post-Gaddafi Libya. The result 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 in North Africa. 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.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmfaff/119/119.pdf
:not-hillary: What's that? All I hear is something about Libya being a Very Bad Place now, maybe we should do a war there to civilize them?