Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)

The Minister mentioned that Amnesty International quoted a figure of 4,000 in February but the UN report issued in May cited a figure of 9,000. When NATO began bombing the estimated death toll of militias and civilians was estimated at 2,000. Several months ago the National Transitional Council came up with a figure of 30,000. It goes to show how the situation has deteriorated rapidly.

What I find so disillusioning is when NATO begins a bombing campaign there is great interest but then NATO abandons the place and what occurs is not policed in the same way. NATO did what it was going to do and there was nothing more in it for Sarkozy and those who supported him and we have seen too much of this over the years. Recently, President Obama told us he would continue to protect the people of Afghanistan after ten years. A recent survey in Afghanistan showed more than 80% of the people agreed the war had been very bad for them. I do not think they really need the protection of the United States given the carnage they caused there.

NATO is now beyond reproach and this underlines the fact that international law does not apply to the big powers which can do what they like. Since it was established, the International Criminal Court has indicted 28 people from seven countries for war crimes and crimes against humanity and every one of them is African. It is a bit on the biased side. Military intervention is not the shortcut to freedom we often pretend, and far from saving lives it escalates the slaughter. I wish the Government was more vocal on the matter.

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