Inside The Room - The Libya Conflict: The Build Up (Part One)

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Apr 2, 2026

Hugh Powell, former deputy national security adviser with frontline Whitehall experience, and Sir John Sawers, ex-MI6 chief with insider intelligence knowledge, recount the lead-up to Libya intervention. They discuss how protests spread, UK and European debates over action, military limits like no-fly zone effectiveness, and the surprise of French early strikes.

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INSIGHT

MI6 Chief Is CEO Plus Political Power

The MI6 chief role mixes CEO responsibilities with unique political influence and legal authorities.
John Sawers describes running thousands of staff, a half‑billion pound budget, and being licensed to break laws other agencies cannot to protect national interests.

ANECDOTE

Omar Suleiman's Confident Call Before Cairo Fell

Sawers recounts asking Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman in January 2011 whether protests could reach Cairo.
Suleiman confidently replied they had complete control, illustrating how autocracies can be blind to imminent upheaval.

INSIGHT

Intelligence Chiefs Bring Caution To Crisis

Intelligence chiefs tend to be more cautious and 'glass half empty' compared with diplomats or politicians.
Sawers says that as MI6 chief he had to warn about downsides while a newly enthusiastic prime minister like David Cameron was keen to use force.

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As renewed violence erupts across the Middle East, governments have been forced into crisis mode... but when is the right time to intervene, how involved should you get and when, if ever, is it time for 'boots on the ground'?

It's these dilemmas and more that are currently facing Keir Starmer and other world leaders, but it's not the first time a UK government has had to find answers for such big questions about international intervention.

Fifteen years ago the civil unrest of the Arab Spring spread to Libya. The violent crackdowns against anti-government protestors that followed sparked seven months of NATO military intervention and led to the killing of Muammar Gaddafi, putting an end to his 42-year dictatorship.

In this special mini series, Ed Balls and George Osborne are joined by former MI6 Chief Sir John Sawers to discuss the key decisions, missteps, and aftermath of the Libya crisis. We take you inside the war rooms and hear unique insights from John, George and two other officials who saw key decisions being made first-hand: former EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Cathy Ashton, and deputy national security adviser to the coalition government, Hugh Powell.

What can the wars of the past can teach us lessons for the wars of today?

In part one, we look at how the UK government reacted to the escalating situation, why David Cameron and then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy pushed for military action, and the steps that led to the first bomb being dropped… and how it managed to surprise Britain.

Thanks for listening. In our next episode we take you right behind the scenes of the military action and hear about all of the drama that ensued, including the moment Sir John Sawyers took an informant for a secret dinner…

Can’t wait? Subscribe now to get all three parts of Inside the Room: The Libya Conflict. You will also get access to our debrief episode The Inquiry, as well as early and ad-free access to our regular episodes of EMQs.

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Credits:

Research: Monica Lillis, Ayla Krachai, and Sam Burton

Production support: Tom Jackson

Production: Caillin McDaid and Nasreen Arain

Video Editor: Avi Asher and Oliver Geraghty

Executive Producer: Ellie Clifford and Henrietta Harrison

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