大屠杀发生时,联合国内负责维和事务的是后来当了秘书长的科菲·安南。面对惨案现场,他发誓“永远不再”。1997元旦,安南莅任联合国秘书长。在他和其他人士推动下,一个简称R2P(国家保护责任,Responsibility to Protect) 的新概念开始在国际政治圈流转——即政府有责任保护平民,如果一国政府做不到,国际社会可以采取行动。
In this context, we are prepared to take collective action, in a timely and decisive manner, through the Security Council, in accordance with the Charter, including Chapter VII, on a case-by-case basis and in cooperation with relevant regional organizations as appropriate, should peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities manifestly fail to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
幸亏卡扎菲配合,让联军在合法性上做足工夫,顺利走完所有程序,将该敲的章都敲了,破天荒地满足了R2P所有条件。是卡扎菲出动飞机轰炸平民,气到外交官纷纷倒戈,利比亚驻联合国大使含泪恳求安理会救救他的祖国,这才有1970号决议的及早通过,为后续行动铺平道路;是卡扎菲雇佣外国人攻击本国的阿拉伯裔公民,逼得阿拉伯联盟也要制裁他——这是美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿所说的“根本性转折”(the game change); 也正是卡扎菲的成吉思汗式破城语言,才让本来迟疑的奥巴马,终于签发了攻击令。