Cameron will not rule out role for British ground forces in Libya

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Cameron will not rule out role for British ground forces in Libya

Cameron has raised the prospect of British troops operating inside Libya

by declaring that Britain is preparing to " do more " to help rebels struggling to

oust Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

By Kirkup 6:00AM BST 18 Apr 2011

The Prime Minister insisted that there would be no " occupation " of Libya, but

repeatedly refused to rule out short-lived ground-level operations by British

forces. Mr Cameron's words, in a television interview, led to renewed warnings

of " mission creep " in Libya.

After more than four weeks of air strikes by Nato, Col Gaddafi's regime survives

and the rebels trying to oust him have made little significant progress towards

Tripoli. The Libyan government assault on the town of Misurata has added to

pressure on Western leaders to intensify their intervention, and Mr Cameron

confirmed that he was examining options for doing more to help the rebels.

" We have to ask ourselves what more can we do to protect civilian life and to

stop Gaddafi's war machine unleashing such hell on his own people, " he said.

Britain has already given body armour and communications technology to the

rebels. " We're looking at those things and what else we can do, " Mr Cameron

said.

It is understood that British Special Forces soldiers are already operating

inside Libya and some military experts have suggested those troops could be

asked to help train and lead rebel forces.

Air strikes are taking place under UN Security Council Resolution 1973, which

authorised member states to take " all necessary measures " to protect Libyan

civilians, while " excluding a foreign occupation force of any form " .

Mr Cameron said that restriction had complicated the Western intervention.

" Because we've said we're not going to invade, we're not going to occupy, this

is more difficult in many ways, " he said.

Asked if he was categorically ruling out putting any form of British forces on

the ground in the Libya, Mr Cameron replied: " What I've said is there is no

occupying force, no invasion. The position hasn't changed. "

Asked whether a " temporary " ground operation was possible, he said: " I've

answered the question. We're not occupying, we're not invading. "

Sir Menzies , the former Liberal Democrat leader, said Mr Cameron had

opened up the possibility of British ground forces operating in Libya. " The PM's

words need careful interpretation. 'Occupation' necessarily implies large

numbers of troops being in Libya for a substantial period of time, " he said.

" The Prime Minister's answer could imply military assistance or support at a

much lower level, designed to stiffen the resolve and improve the quality of the

rebel effort. "

Dugher, a shadow defence minister, said Mr Cameron's words risked

raising new questions over the nature of the British mission. " If we are to

maintain public confidence at home, we must have clarity from ministers, and

that includes the Prime Minister. The Government must stick to the terms of the

UN resolution. We must be alert to the dangers of mission creep, " he said.

Barry Gardiner, a Labour MP, added: " There is a gap between 'no force of

occupation' and 'no troops on the ground'. "

Whitehall sources insisted that Mr Cameron's words did not signal a change in

the Government approach on ground troops but conceded that the Prime Minister

had stopped short of ruling out any ground operations at all.