US Congressman Kucinich Says NATO Must Be Held Responsible for Civilian Deaths in Libya

A refugee camp burned down in Tunisia that housed African migrant workers who have been forced to leave Libya due to the actions of counter-revolutionary rebels backed-up by the United States and NATO. Many refugees have been killed and injured., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

NATO responsible for civilian deaths in Libya: U.S. congressman

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. congressman said on Tuesday that NATO must be held accountable for civilian deaths in Libya, accusing the organization of "illegally" pursuing regime change and "recklessly" bombing the civilians.

Dennis Kucinich, a U.S. Democratic Representative from the state of Ohio, said in a statement that as Libyan rebels have entered Tripoli, it is time to "review the curious role of NATO and the future of U.S. interventionism."

"A negotiated settlement in Libya was deliberately avoided for months while NATO, in violation of UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 1970 and 1973, illegally pursued regime change," said the congressman.

Kucinich said the NATO "recklessly bombed civilians in the name of saving civilians."

"If members of the Gaddafi Regime are to be held accountable, NATO's top commanders must also be held accountable through the International Criminal Court for all civilian deaths resulting from bombing," he said.

"Otherwise we will have witnessed the triumph of a new international gangsterism," he added.

NATO has been leading the airstrikes on forces loyal to Gaddafi, which is an important reason that the opposition forces can turn the tide and finally marches into Tripoli.

On Tuesday, a NATO warplane bombed Muammar Gaddafi's tightly- guarded Bab al-Azizya compound in Tripoli after rebels started to attack the fortified compound.