Foreign secretary denies mission creep but says UK military action could stretch beyond December
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Polly Curtis and Richard Norton-Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 5 June 2011 20.56 BST
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William Hague at a press conference in Benghazi. Since his return to the UK, he has denied claims of a mission creep in Libya. Photograph: Gianluigi Guercia/AFP/Getty Images
The foreign secretary, William Hague, has acknowledged for the first time that UK troops could be involved in the conflict in Libya beyond Christmas, saying that the government had "no deadline" for military operations there.
Hours after returning from Libya, where he had been meeting rebel leaders, Hague denied that the use of Apache helicopters were a sign of "mission creep" and raised new concerns about the future of the country after admitting that post-conflict plans were as yet only "embryonic".
But claims of mission creep in Libya will be compounded by the news that military commanders are considering sending an extra fifth Apache helicopter to join those attacking targets along the Libyan coast.
For the second successive day, Apache helicopters based on HMS Ocean attacked targets in Libya at the weekend.
There is frustration at the failure so far to deliver a knockout blow to Gaddafi's forces, British officials said on Sunday.
Hague told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show the military would continue to intensify operations, as they had done by deploying Apache helicopters, as necessary, but added: "This is not mission creep; changing the nature of the mission. This is intensifying what we are doing in order to make this mission a success."
Asked about the plans for Libya once Gaddafi fell and his regime ended, Hague said that this had been the main purpose of his visit, a trip accompanied by Andrew Mitchell, the international development secretary. "There needs to be such a plan and it's only in an embryonic stage. Andrew Mitchell has sent what we call a stabilisation response team, that's leading the international assessment in Benghazi … of what would be needed for Libya to stabilise the situation for the people of Libya after Gaddafi goes."
Pressed on the timescale of the operation, he said: "Well we're not going to set a deadline. You're asking about Christmas and who knows? It could be days or weeks or months. It is worth doing. If we were not doing this, Gaddafi would have overrun, by force, the whole of Libya, causing a massive humanitarian crisis, committing many atrocities, and destabilising Tunisia and Egypt at the same time, with terrible consequences for Europe and for this country. So it's in our own national interest, as well as right." Officials told the Guardian that the "big problem" in Libya was how to ratchet up the bombing without increasing the risk of civilian deaths. "Nato could do much more if it took more risks with civilian casualties," one official said.
British officials pinned hopes on a twin-track approach – that of the continuing attacks, and of more defections by senior political, security and military Libyan figures.
The officials made plain that they did not expect a decisive breakthrough in the short term. Gaddafi had insisted he would stay put, UK officials noted.
Major General Nick Pope, the MoD's senior military spokesman, said in a statement: "Royal Air Force Tornadoes joined other Nato aircraft in a major strike on a large surface-to-air missile depot in Tripoli.
"HMS Ocean launched her British army Apaches against a multiple rocket launch system positioned on the Libyan coast near Brega. The attack helicopters used Hellfire missiles to destroy their target before returning safely to the ship."
The dictators
Tunisia
Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali 1987 – 2011 Demonstrations began in late December after suicide of unemployed young man Mohammed Bouazizi. Abandoned by army in January. Deposed and fled to Saudi Arabia.
Egypt
Hosni Mubarak 1981 – 2011 Protests began in Tahrir Square on 25 January. Held on for 18 days until persuaded to step down by armed forces. Awaiting trial.
Libya
Muammar al-Gaddafi 1969 – Uprising began in Benghazi in February. Despite key defections and Nato bombing campaign, he is still in power but keeping his head down.
Yemen
Ali Abdullah Saleh 1978 – Facing multiple challenges: democracy movement, tribal rivals and al-Qaida. Undergoing emergency medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. Under huge pressure to step down.
Syria
Bashar al-Assad 2000 – Anti-regime action started in March – 1,100 killed so far but protests still on a smaller scale than elsewhere. Security forces loyal. No significant defections and limited international pressure. Hanging tough.
Bahrain
King Hamad al-Khalifa 1999 – Pearl Square protests violently crushed in February with 30 dead and armed intervention by; Saudi Arabia's military intervened. State of emergency over but hundreds still in jail. Formula One racing returning. Uneasy but in control.
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