with the u.k. and other western countries still involved in the libyan conflict one of britain's leading newspaper columnists what he thinks of his nation's role in the intervention the guardian simon jenkins says foreign military action is restricted to countries rich in natural resources it's coming up. i'm joined by simon jenkins author and journalist who now writes for the guardian newspaper some like to speak to r.t. now you've written extensively criticizing the way the intervention in libya is being handled what was wrong with it was it wrong to begin with of course during the process you know using wrong with the way it was handled i just didn't you should have taken place in the first place. i do not believe that sovereign states have a legal right or an obligation or a duty to interfere in other sovereign states is written into the united nations charter this is not a country that threaten britain didn't threaten any of its neighbors and invaded in

the neighbor it was going about his own business but you got a revolution it was a. city thing the original justification preventing a massacre in benghazi was that not entirely true that i'm sure lost of things would happen and benghazi nasty things happen all over the world. the excuse that there might have been something nasty about to happen the justification for invading invading a country bombing its capital is i find quite extraordinary it's a. noble concept of clearly there were other interests in play in libya there were the oil on. the mediterranean they were lighter skinned people i mean all the kind of things you can't live by british foreign policy. there was no justification for it except the theory that there would have been a massacre had we not gone in in benghazi there's all teary motives things like leaks to oil contracts that are now being fought you know more important then than say preventing loss of human life well i would if we were going to go in wherever

there's a possible loss of human life we're going to go invading countries all over the world all the time i'm assuming more than assuming i think i know there are mixed motives and always interventions we tend to intervene in countries where we think we might win you know the moral attitude we tend to really get into reading countries were. we have some interest in this critical but we tend to intervene where we think i think. almost quick glory to be had was the case i think in iraq than. was the case here there are always mixed motives but i think we always need to examine almost as an office of the simple question are we going to do good rather than harm in this case it seems we've done good but that was by no means guaranteed the fact of the matter was it was not our country janke is going to plan in this clean they thought they were going to get quick laurie did last a bit longer than they thought but some of the yes well i mean they came close to panicking i mean they thought bombers could do the trick bombs can never do the trick they said they would do the trick in baghdad they didn't they said do the

trick in belgrade they didn't bomb was never do the trick after a few months of it clearly not working they decided to put in gret what is effectively ground troops and special forces went in all over the place they did what i think probably they should have done the very beginning which say that we want this one over quickly it would be over quickly if we go in with ground troops as was the case in kosovo and eventually after six months they did indeed when there's no good pretending this was done by the libyans it was done by western forces britain's role in this as you just mentioned they had special forces on the ground but we haven't know the full extent of that because it wasn't even legitimate in the first place was it well i mean we wrote the un resolution is concerned i mean we this is entirely are doing we we decided to do it then we found reasons for doing it we decided there's going to be a massacre in benghazi we decided we need a un resolution written the certain way we claim to be going in to protect civilians will be ended up bombing. i mean things that were done with done with the

intention of justifying a pretty strange way of libya. i'm assuming that we'll know much more over time because all the special forces will start writing their memoirs as they always do the mission creep was seeing here was it planned do you think or is it just an inevitable unavoidable consequence into. i think it's a very difficult question mission creep. invariably when it happens in the great cases it was in boudin balls now people say at the beginning we won't let this happen we are only going into a generic terror and relief would have been might be in this case who were only going in to save the citizens of being god from wiki mazurka it would've been a pretty unpleasant things they push a lot of that. but at the back of everyone's mark and why the only so reluctant. is the knowledge that mission creep always happened you cannot control the situation overgrown it was. you've got to be prepared for the worst because the worst is what usually happens now in this case it was looking

a real mess and all the very end the very end you got special forces surrounding tripoli. didn't just get lucky when they used may fourth of using helicopters they were using british weapons to bash through walls and everything in the air and we did what we probably should go to the beginning which is make sure we not going to lose when david cameron and nicolas sarkozy visit tripoli recently they were given a hero's welcome people cheering chanting then lang's wanted to shake their hands saying i was all good for them was it something they wanted and expected i think just totally all judged i mean it was clearly a triumph. very soon to trumpet it went into the heart of. you can't pretend it wasn't from. the rubies or to batter the prime minister was going to a foreign country with it you didn't get cheered i thought it was tasteless and of course weakens the authority of the of the domestic governor who at this particular juncture should've at least been allowed to present themselves as being the victors

it is abundantly clear this was a british french victory and that's what the visit was designed to signify and what does that mean now does that give them a responsibility they might not be able to meet i think it does i think the british and the french now have a very strong responsibility to make absolutely sure this does not. fail that may well mean sending in troops when you invade a country you can't then say we've done our job we're going to go because people look to you to continue the revolution that you started or you. i just don't see how we can abandon libya if if as is at least possible possibly improbable unlikely breaks out what about gadhafi david cameron since we washing his hands of that is she saying his fate is in the hands of the n t c is that shirking responsibility i am assuming that british and french forces are not trying to find gadhafi and certainly i mean i can't see the point of not finishing the job you know we claim just the assad regime no fly zone was

a joke. i just it just seems to me that if you're going to attack a country in this way you must at least finish it and then you end the country and the really difficult thing is to transfer power from yourself as the powerful authority to the local people and i think we're going to find it very difficult more sort of message does this send out that they're now kind of controlling this in this kind of need way. well we the message it sends out is provided you make enough stink in a country then britain and france might come along and help the revolution that happened in kosovo off to bosnia it was abundantly clear what happened but a bunch of gangsters who were running kosovo effectively said you know we're being massacred by this which is certainly true come and save us we were in to save them and to create a new country we partitioned yugoslavia i mean the message is the west is effectively mercenary army for any rebel group that cares to make enough of a stink about it and i just think that's dangerous to world peace how different is

this really from iraq afghanistan and previous interventions i mean they say they've learned their lessons have. the only lesson i draw from any of these is don't do it they haven't learned that lesson the they're clearly going to start looking for another one i mean i imagine there's going to be some trouble in syria i don't know what they're going to do with them in iran is if you do not invade iran and this you're out of your mind it's a huge country iraq is a pretty big country and we found that very difficult afghanistan at least a small but we're getting a bloody nose that. i mean i guess the lesson of libya is if it's a really small country might get away with it. applauding themselves this is the model of a successful intervention why is this not happening in syria and yemen and places i think the reason is that they thought it would be a good idea and it would. it was easy to do you could run it from aircraft carriers and bases and measuring so it was a doable enterprise you could put in special forces quite easily go up to new

people noticing. i just think it would be it came along at the time i was couldn't realize why didn't do burma when the famine was on the very good example where you could have the. total forces available which would have been the to do it in a cave. i mean i think these things are completely random now it's difficult to see how you orchestra. wait a foreign policy based upon these random interventions as for nature and what is it to do with nature and nature is that learn to alliance against the russians it's i repeat it's like a mercenary force roaming the world looking for things to do completely stuck in afghanistan it may yet get stuck in libya can intervention work that the principle of it works if it works. if it toppled saddam hussein. punished the taliban topple gadhafi works how should they subpoena her house and leave me think i just a little we've left syria or. we've left let yemen or the why libya

is not turning over calm oppressive regimes killing civilians where are you were you two was your back there in the first place when what i don't understand the argument to. be turning our back on somalia. i mean are we turning our back on to be turn our back on the congo congo and somalia far worse than the bia no one's going screaming while we attacking congress and somalia i'm afraid just because they're black. and i think he would say that in these a very very racial operation for some reason we've got it in for muslim countries at the moment and this is the third one we've invaded. before you go here because of it and you mr gives out to the world is that the west is highly biased it's late it is interested in oil it will help you if you if you look as if you're in with a chance you're going to if you're not. as to the rest of africa. what does this

mean now for the arab spring does this intervention reinforce it or undermine it i did it remains for what is the arab spring i mean the arab spring was was was a number of rebellions most of which were suppressed. too now three of which would go away it was going to egypt yes we didn't want spring move. could well be that bahrain a better role if you want to talk about governance beautiful for good or for the one thing to talk about. all i know is not my responsibility there is no british empire anymore you know we are not charged by the electorate or by the world or girl around invading other people's countries we don't like their regimes it's just not our job simon jenkins thank you.

very first verses of the bible that all human beings are created but sentimental came in god's image and it doesn't say just jews or knowledge is. sixty to seventy percent of what i did as a common soldier in the occupied territories was to do with the turds doing what we call making our presence felt to go out should some bozo they hear a knock on some doors run to the other corner invade another house religion and nationalism not just judaism have been a part of the problem they've been part of what leads to. bloodshed a few more bomb gaza and killed. a thousand four hundred people in a month and you want to expect that this will have no effect until a feat you have to be either extremely naive or extremely stupid we don't need to hear a few religious jew calling another joke and not not in the way they really didn't

. exist nature and discover is. the key communicate with the wild and learn. test yourself and become free. to. see what nature can give you see. wealthy british style seinfeld's that's not on. the. market mind. find out what's really happening to the global economy for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines to cause a report on our. grim financial fate of

greece under scrutiny from european and i.m.f. officials what they're doing is to assess the scale of the country's progress in reducing debt this after thousands of greeks unite in protest against the government's latest round of austerity cuts. nato peacekeepers in kosovo have injured seven serbs in clashes at the border area the alliance says it used rubber bullets but a local news agency claims live rounds were used and has released x. rays that it says show the gunshot wounds of victims. and international community slams israel's decision to build new settlements on occupied territory palestinians say the israeli moves to rule out any chance of bilateral peace talks. up next with sports stay with us here on r.t. .

well welcome to the sport an artsy comment to you live from the russian capital with me were mom calls for the first ad lines. army men disarm says fight back from two goals down but still lose. five goal european cup earlier in moscow. inspiration from paralympians an annual awards ceremony has been held in the russian capital honoring athletes and others trying to overcome serious illnesses. downtime russia's a rugby team enjoy a day off from talking scrums and tactics of the world cup testing their mettle at an adventure park in new zealand. one of the biggest nights of the russian football year has ended in disappointment for the home side says scott moscow going down so it's out in giants inter milan in their second champions league group match of the season it was lucile and the jump ball applies eenie who had the visitors after

only twenty three minutes but didn't lie down first for a decent deficit on the stroke of half time. before grabbing at deserve equaliser seven to seven minutes back nor love but it was ensor who would have the final say morals are at his strike eleven minutes from simon turning the milat men's their first win all the campaign. which ensured conditions to it was emotional and with it we stood low if you really saw read that too and made so much effort to come back from studios down we can see to it we could go and didn't have much time left but nevertheless we managed to stage another storm with a big goal. i know there are strong in the correct there because at the end of the match old so. they drew the match. i spoke to my player side he said because of food because until the end we have to suffer the other matching groove between the. poor and little from france and that in a one one draw. with

a group of four points followed with the. third after two draws and says our last with just one point. in group a wire munich are now two four two after their latest win against magister city while not plenty claimed their first win in the campaign and set seconds at the german side hilliary all our last with no points and no goals. three three home draw against english giants match. of the season with four points along with been fuca who won their first match against a remain at. the front of my mind just before i'm really glad with a three three and look at it in a positive way and i think it's a great result we deserved it and earned the draw as a coach it's a highlight for me to come here it's rare that i've been to clubs like manchester united or the likes real or barcelona as a coach i'm very prince by my team's performance here i suppose many was. so

welcome to european trip with them you know because we're going to for most parts of the game i thought. it was a fantastic game and agreeing to the game the excitement. group d. matches the wraps up the tuesday action in the champions league where they all moved up to second place after a home win against zagreb and real madrid have a one hundred percent record so far in this tournament and with the dutch side being their latest victims. the second game we call the champions league group stages continues with teams from group eat through to h. kicking off on wednesday evening in europe russian champions as it needs are hosting a europa league winter sports all in the days early it's i now despite missing a few key players including the former porto captain bruno alvis who was suspended for this match in the chalice but let his men are feeling confident after a successful recent domestic run that propelled them to the top of the russian

premier league now that means is a need to last a minnows from cyprus in their opening game seems like a distant memory now however another defeat would seriously damage the st petersburg side's chances of progressing to the next stage book aside from the grid achievements poor tools made in his history but you produced a lot of very strong players look fulfilled and quite a lot of strong managers too and it says a lot about the strength of the club that it's well organized and has great traditions. the portuguese side at the moment and will be hoping to extend their leads with another win she just to show that russia is a happy hunting ground for as the club's four previous trips to the country all ended in triumph however none of those winds were against zinni who are known for their strong home record. is the new. schools you need as one of the strongest teams in europe it's enough to see even through the al the shoe used to

play no it's the no please there everyone knows danny who plays no national team alexander because your cool is a well known fluent and luciano's is a manager who is well known in europe and around the world. meanwhile a reigning champions barcelona are preparing to meet the belarus side who are enjoying their second ever appearance at the tournaments the cattle on powerhouses started their title defense a fortnight ago but only gained a points from their home clash with melanne however the bellerose champion's game against the czech sides on the first match day also ended with a draw meaning all four teams are side with a point of peace in the standings. elsewhere to experience champions league outfits chelsea and valencia prepared to go head to head in the style of english side league group b. asked for beating by your leverkusen sunil with looking forward after drawing their opening game against belgium gang chelsea midfielder juan mata adds to the game's

intrigue after completing his move from earlier this year. over to paralympic news now where the third annual. national awards ceremony took place in moscow on tuesday they haven't named after the famous russian gymnast who was badly injured during a competition in one thousand eighty one of the major awards going to four hours in big champion russian skier is that people although it wasn't own. paralympians has shown at the ceremony that mazing look up blocks away who's suffering with a muscle disorders and who says he was born showing that serious illness can be overcome by canadian showing off the same dance that he performed at the twenty ten winter paralympics opening ceremony. eight years ago i wasn't able to do this. six years ago i could only take three steps today i'm taking more and more steps

thanks. let's move to the rugby world cup in new zealand's where russia's final match of the tournament takes place on saturday against australia the players using that sound scientific and adrenaline tax afternoon in iraq to rule our correspondent richard yvonne portly wife along and it was let's say a reluctant participants as well. it's been a tough debut world cup of the russians but they were finally given a chance to let the head of lucrative venture pocket route to ruin. jumping off a forty forty meter platform might not be everyone's idea of fun but it certainly was for denise implicated. the twenty year old completed one lifelong ambition recently by scoring a try on his world cup debut. also on the surface very first bungee jump

however we know it wasn't the only one want to get a piece of the action is followed by a team if he truly is keen to prove himself all from among guiltily highlights. on the north hampton st clair said it was a fantastic frail. bustling i've dreamt of this there's a while before and this is a dream come true hopefully i'll have a nice strength to go to the bungee jump as. the players were like kids in a candy store trying to royds time off to time on time. even both some of russia's challenges seem more interested in getting better acquainted with the local animal population. england recently got run be criticised for doing similar adventure activities of the russian coach kingsley jones couldn't have been more different in his approach saying it was a wonderful distraction for the players pause think it's important you know we've

worked hard for the last. hundred twenty days and they need to refresh recharge now . she's more technical things we can work on but thing is going to. make us part of the force constrain years everybody refresh mentally physically and you know the mental thing mental rest and change from coaching is and getting coaching training every day is important of course this is a prime time stick break for the russian players to make great use of their free time while many of whom productive it is like this for the first time in their lives but there was no way that our teams correspondent was going to get away scot free. or. bright or very married now. so when i am forty metres out there. well say.

i managed to live to tell the tale just buyouts. a but didn't prove to be the end of my new found friends seeking experience of. the russian favorite it's all good this ought to give it a try as well on a roll. russia number seven company so that's got to go. russia will move to nelson on wednesday ahead of their final world cup game among the tournament finished for them on saturday they will certainly have some fun times to memories. of on both great on say roads are easy to. joins united for another update and a couple of hours meanwhile our you tube channel is available at r.t. sport news thanks for watching and watch out from that is coming up with that headline news thanks.

for sure is that so much a lot of people actually hearing all their signals were the first western liberal interventionism is it ever justified for such military interventions within the confines of international law is there a case where. in

the czech republic he's available in the hotel and some of the central hotel primavera. will stop by you to which are. in bosnia and herzegovina available in. the children of each. but you know what you know. times. in serbia multis available in.

the grim financial fate of greece comes under scrutiny from european and i.m.f. officials. to assess the scale of the country's progress. but that comes up at nights not thousands to flee united trade tested the government's latest round of. nato forces in kosovo clash with serbia's local news agency reports live rounds have been fired. and the international community condemns israel's decision to build new settlements on occupied territory that the palestinians say rules out the bilateral peace talks called for at the u.n. . and in business. regular being offices of its main customer a suspicion of market manipulation and excessive pricing join me for the details and twenty minutes.