operations in Libya. Who orders who? Who controls what? Synthesis (maj2)
(BRUSSELS2/Synthesis) Regarding military interventions in Libya, confusion reigns, skillfully maintained by several of the actors in the file. There is not one operation in Libya but four, even five (if we count the Frontex mission). Tour of the owner(s)…
The distribution of tasks appears clear on four of these five missions. Operation “No Fly Zone” to come under NATO control Sunday March 27. All that remains, in fact, is that on the “protection of civilians”, the sharing of tasks between NATO and the Coalition remains to be clarified (1). The first meeting of the contact group took place in London on March 29, 2011. The progress of the opposition on the ground could facilitate and accelerate the search for a solution.
A sharing of means and a confusion of roles
First of all, you should know that there is no complete seal between all these operations. Particularly in terms of the means used. These (ships, planes and soldiers/experts) remain essentially under the control of Member States which only delegate – to varying degrees – command to multinational structures (NATO, EU, Coalition). As no country has unlimited resources, resources allocated to one operation can be used for another, particularly in terms of air intelligence or aerial surveillance. This is rather classic in certain international operations where several missions coexist. Thus in Chad, during the Eufor Chad operation, French planes carried out missions called “Alpha” and “Bravo” during the same outing, one on behalf of Eufor Chad, the other on behalf of of the Epervier national mission.
You should also know that commanders wear several hats. Thus, Admiral Sam Lockwear who currently commands Operation Odyssey Dawn (no fly zone and protection of civilians)) is commander of the American naval forces of Africom and Eucom but also the NATO commander of the JFC (joint command) of Naples which will supervise and/or coordinate most of NATO's military operations in Libya. And he has as his deputy General Bouchard who will take charge of the command of operation “No Fly Zone” on behalf of NATO and will report to his hierarchical superior at NATO who is… Lockwear (2).
sky control “No Fly zone” (NATO)
Goal : " ban all flights in the airspace of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in order to help protect civilians”
Code name: “Odyssey Dawn” (USA), “Harmattan” (france) / Ellamy (Uk). Legal basis: §6 to 12 UN resolution 1973. Start: March 19, 2011. The mission comes under NATO control Sunday March 27 (2). Duration: 3 months.
Political control: the ambassadors of the 28 NATO member countries (NAC), extended to other contributing countries. Commander: Lieutenant General Bouchard (Canada). Chain of command: NATO (SHAPE) / JFC Naples / Izmir Air HQ (Turkey) / CAOC Poggio-Renatico (Italy). Funding: Participating States / NATO Member States
Resources: Belgium, Denmark, United Arab Emirates*, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Qatar*, United Kingdom, Turkey, USA.
“Protection of civilians” (Coalition / NATO)
Objective: to take “all necessary means to protect populations and civilian areas threatened with attack “, in particular the strikes on the military means of the regime.
Code name: “Odyssey Dawn” (USA), “Harmattan” (france) / Ellamy (Uk). Legal basis: §4 UN resolution 1973. Start: March 19, 2011. The mission comes under NATO control Thu March 31
Political control: NATO Contact Group/Ambassadors (NAC). Chain of command: NATO / USA (Africom) / Coalition.
Command structure: Africom HQ (Stuttgart) – USS Mount Whitney) – France (Lyon) – United Kingdom (Northwood) =>NATO (SHAPE) / JFC Naples / Izmir Air HQ (Turkey) / CAOC Poggio-Renatico ( Italy).
Commander: Admiral Sam Lockwear (USA) => Lieutenant General Bouchard (Canada).
Essential resources: France, United Kingdom.
Other means: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Qatar*, USA
Arms embargo control by sea (NATO)
Goal : " guarantee the strict application of the arms embargo, inspect on their territory and on the high seas, ships and aircraft coming from or going to (Libya) ».
Codename: “Unified Protector”. Legal basis: §9-10 resolution 1970, §13 resolution 1973 UN. Start: March 22, 2011. Funding: Member States / NATO
Political control: the ambassadors of the 28 NATO member countries (NAC).
Chain of command: NATO (SHAPE) / JFC Naples / MCC Naples Maritime Command. Commander: Vice Admiral Rinaldo Veri (Italy).
Essential resources: Italy, Turkey.
Other means: Belgium, Canada, Spain, Greece, Netherlands, United Kingdom, USA, Bulgaria, Romania.
Humanitarian support (European Union)
Objective: provide means to international organizations “at their request” to: 1) repatriate refugees and displaced persons (air and sea bridge), 2) manage or secure refugee camps in Tunisia, Egypt, or in “other country” (NB: Libya, Niger…).
Code name “Eufor Libya” (provisional). Legal basis: §26 UN resolution 1970 / European Union decision. Startup: April 2011 (to be specified)
Political control: 26 EU PSC ambassadors. Command structure: Brussels HQ / OHQ Roma (to be defined). Chain of command: EU.
Means: to be defined (could participate: Finland, Greece, Poland, Sweden, Saudi Arabia*?).
Border surveillance (European Union / Frontex)
Objective: to monitor the arrivals of boats loaded with immigrants.
Code name: Hermès (civil mission with coast guard resources and certain military resources). Legal basis: art. 67 and 77 Treaty on the functioning of the EU. Start: February 19, 2011.
Political control: Interior ministries of neighboring states (Italy / Malta). Command structure: coordination between Member States / Frontex.
Means: Italy (naval + air) + France, Germany, Netherlands, Malta, Spain (+ experts: Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Sweden, Switzerland *). Funding: EC budget.
Read also:
- Operation Odyssey Dawn comes under NATO command. Well almost…
- The 27 will give the green light to a CSDP humanitarian support operation in Libya
- Towards a humanitarian CSDP mission near Libya. Details of a new kind of operation
- Small talks between allies on Libya
- Means of the arms embargo operation. Codename: Unified Protector
- The means of the "Civilian protection" operation in Libya in place
- Frontex launches Operation "Hermes" on Lampedusa
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