ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes how the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies exert control over the NATO International Staff during the formulation of the mission mandate. It shows that generic rules, in the form of established military doctrine and institutionalized standard operating procedures, left little room for political entrepreneurship. The military intervention in Libya started on 19 March 2011 with a coalition of the willing consisting of France, the UK, and the United States. Establishing a no-fly zone would first require NATO to take out Libya's air defenses and therefore included actual strikes. Maintaining a no-fly zone would also be a costly affair, because a no-fly zone would not bring the civil war to a close. Libya was first discussed in the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and the political dialogue was followed by formal planning for humanitarian assistance and an arms embargo. It provides that NATO would become in charge of the no-fly zone and the protection of civilians as well.
