아프리카ㆍ중동

This article aims to analyze the reasons of the NATO's regime change in Libya, which occurred in 2011. The reasons that led America and its NATO partners to make the 'unfriendly' Qaddafi regime collapse and thereby build a 'pro-Western' government were to pursue oil and financial interests in Libya and prevent the rising China from securing African natural resources. To achieve these goals, NATO members, through their intelligence agencies and special forces, played a vital role in arming and training opposition groups within Libya, and instigating violent rebellion with the help of covert mercenary forces. When the Qaddafi government forces attempted to quell the thus-nurtured armed insurrection, America and its Western allies accused them of human rights violations and began to embark openly and self-righteously on the path of regime change in the name of 'responsibility to protect' the human rights. As a result, they succeeded in bringing down Qaddafi from power. In this regard, the nature of the regime change in Libya was not a voluntary revolution from within, but 'NATO-sponsored one'.