Responsibility to protect civilians

By Hany Besada and Karolina Werner

Unlike other uprisings in neighboring countries, Libya descended into civil war earlier this year as forces loyal to Colonel Moammar Gadhafi attacked civilians demonstrating against his regime.

With his tanks, armed forces, naval vessels and artillery unleashing firepower on urban centers, the rebels appealed for international intervention to prevent a possible genocide situation. As calls for protection of the Libyan population increased, the U.N. Security Council invoked the responsibility to protect; the Arab