M. S. KHODYNSKAYA-GOLENISHCHEVA Candidate of Historical Sciences Libya Keywords:. NATO, United Defender , UN Human Rights Council. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe The NATO operation in Libya and regime change as a result of military intervention from outside have raised a number of important issues related to the application of international law in resolving internal conflicts. In particular, on what principles the international community should build cooperation in providing assistance to States caught up in internal conflicts so that it does not go beyond the existing principles of international law and does not turn into outright complicity with forces that are more interested in overthrowing unwanted governments than in implementing democratic transformations. Operation United Defender in Libya, which was mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1973 of March 17, 2011.1, which provided for the protection of the civilian population, demonstrated the desire of a number of States - primarily Western and Persian Gulf countries - to actively use foreign intervention as a foreign policy tool to ensure the fight against the "undesirable"ones modes and the achievement of certain interests. Such external military intervention has been touted as a legitimate tool for the international community to assist nations "fighting against tyranny." Moreover, this approach is recognized as equally effective in relation to any state-regardless of its role in the regional security system, the specifics of its political and ethno-religious structure, and the readiness of the population for change. Such tactics are intended to reinforce approaches aimed at eroding the principle of State sovereignty and promoting the concept of "responsibility to protect". Its goal is to achieve regime change in the shortest possible time-and often at no cost. ESTIMATES OF THE" AUTHORS " OF THE OPERATION... Operation United Defender was highly appreciated by the leadership of NATO, the ... Read more