WHAT DID RIFKIND WRITE ABOUT LIBYA?

The day after UN SCR 1973 was passed, Malcolm Rifkind wrote in The Guardian

Lastly, those military operations that do take place will focus on protecting the civilian population, as opposed to forcing the regime from power. While nearly everyone will wish to see the end of Gaddafi's reign, it will not be for the US or UK to compel that outcome through force of arms.

[source : The first Libyan battle is won, Malcolm Rifkind, The Guardian, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/mar/18/libya-un-security-council-resolution-1973, 18th March 2011]

How wrong he was!!

But less than a week later the same Malcolm Rifkind wrote in The Daily Telegraph

The blunt truth is that the dictator needs to be toppled, not only to liberate the Libyans, but also to allow British and other western powers to withdraw.

Liberation can only be achieved by a transformation of the status and powers of those who have risen against Gaddafi. That will require three important decisions to be taken by Britain and the international community.

First, we must stop referring to the anti-Gaddafi fighters as "rebels". Describing them as such implies that the Gaddafi regime is still some sort of legitimate government. It is not. The regime has, effectively, become an outlaw in the eyes of the Libyan people, of the Arab world and of the international community. As it is no longer legitimate, those fighting against it are no longer rebels. They are best described as insurgents or opposition fighters.

[source : Libya: Now we must arm the insurgents so that Gaddafi can be toppled, Malcolm Rifkind, The Daily Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8404827/Libya-Now-we-must-arm-the-insurgents-so-that-Gaddafi-can-be-toppled.html, 24th March 2011]

Rifkind thought that we wouldn't notice his warmongering. But we did.

And today?

If, as seems certain, however, the inspectors confirm that hundreds were killed and thousands were injured; that would be damning evidence against Assad because only his regime have that chemical weapons capability and the missiles that are needed to deliver the warheads.

...It will need to be limited, proportionate and targeted on Syrian government military sites. Its overwhelming purpose must be to deter the Assad regime from using chemical weapons again and to demonstrate that if it did, it would be seriously punished.

...The stakes are high. Not to respond at all would be far more dangerous than the limited and proportionate military action being contemplated. Wringing our hands and expressing our concern is simply not enough.

[source : The Syrian regime cannot use chemical weapons without being punished, Malcolm Rifkind, The Guardian, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/28/syrian-regime-punished-chemical-weapons, 29th August 2013]

We cannot trust Rifkind. He is as slippery as an eel (and looks like one too!)

Rifkind is one of those warmongers who thinks and sounds suave and sophisticated, but like all warmongers, give him a rifle, a uniform , boots and a helmet, you won't be able to see him for dust coz' he'll be running as fast as he can away from the front line.