ABSTRACT
The Libyan opposition and the Arab League appealed to the world to save lives in Libya. The conventional underpinnings of sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity require that states have a legal basis for using force against another state. While states have used force without a legal basis, or in direct violation of international law, the United States and its key allies commonly seek a legal basis before using force. The case of Libya demonstrates the extent to which the law plays a role in both enabling and constraining complex military and diplomatic operations. The law underpinned a number of decisions made at the policy level regarding military and diplomatic engagement. The United States did not consider intervening militarily in Libya without an authorization by the UN Security Council. The Libyan case study provides an example of how the law and politics intertwined to achieve the US government's objectives of protecting the Libyan people against violent attacks by their leader.
