Journalism of Courage
Libya,2011
On March 19,2011,military intervention began in Libya to implement the 1973 UN Security Council Resolution that came into effect after the Libyan civil war,but this was after five members abstained. The multi-state coalitions attack began with the US and British naval forces firing Tomahawk cruise missiles,followed by the French and the Canadians undertaking sorties across Libya and a naval blockade.
Iraq,2003
In March 2003,the US government announced that diplomacy has failed and it would proceed with a coalition of the willing to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction WMDs,which the US insisted it possessed under the Saddam Hussein regime. The 2003 invasion of Iraq began a few days later. On September 16,2004,the Secretary-General of the United Nations,Kofi Annan said,I have indicated it was not in conformity with the UN Charter. From the charter point of view,it was illegal.
Afghanistan,2001
On October 7,2001,the US,supported by some NATO countries including the UK and Australia,began an invasion of Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom. The invasion was launched to capture Osama bin Laden,prime accused in the September 11,2001,attacks. US military forces did not capture him,but managed to topple the Taliban government and disrupted bin Ladens al-Qaeda network. On May 2,2011,bin Laden was shot and killed by US Armed Forces in Pakistan. Questions over the legitimacy of the attack still continue.
Kosovo,1999
President Bill Clinton,without Congressional approval,intervened in the Balkans to end a war in Bosnia and stop the slaughter of civilians. The Kosovo conflict refers to the 1999 bombing of Serbian targets in Kosovo and Belgrade under the NATO banner,an intervention that lasted 78 days and which was launched without a UN mandate. NATOs full force was unleashed after all diplomatic options were exhausted. The war began on March 24,1999. In a televised address,Clinton ruled out the use of ground troops in Kosovo. Russia regarded the operation as illegal.
Panama,1989
The US invasion of Panama in December 1989,code-named Operation Just Cause,happened during the presidency of George H W Bush,10 years after the Torrijos-Carter Treaties were ratified to transfer control of the Panama Canal from the US to Panama. During the invasion,de facto Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was deposed and president-elect Guillermo Endara sworn into office. At the UN Security Council,a draft resolution demanding withdrawal of US forces was vetoed by three of the membersFrance,UK and the US.
