Inside Story

Cracks in the NATO alliance?

NATO’s chief dismissed a call from Italy to suspend military operations in Libya and insists the mission will continue.

A rise in the number of civilian deaths has called into question NATO’s mission in Libya. On Wednesday, Franco Frattini, Italy’s foreign minister, called for an end to hostilities in the country.

NATO’s chief dismissed a call from Italy to suspend operations in Libya and insists the mission will continue, but what is behind the Italy’s stance; and does it signal cracks in NATO over Libya?

Inside Story, with presenter Hazem Sika, discusses with Jalal El Gallal, a civilian spokesperson for the media committee for the National Transitional Council – a legislative body working on behalf of the Libyan people; Shashank Joshi, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute; and Rabah Ghezali, a commentator on Transatlantic affairs at the Huffington Post.

This episode of Inside Story aired from June 24, 2011.