TheCable

President Barack Obama of the United States says the worst mistake of his presidency is failing to prepare for the aftermath of ousting Muammar Gaddafi, the late Libyan leader.

Commenting on his highs and lows in office during an interview with Fox News, Obama maintained that the Libyan intervention was “the right thing to do” but he admitted that the succession plan was not appropriate.

On the worst decision he said: “Probably failing to plan for the day after, what I think was the right thing to do, in intervening in Libya.”

On March 19, 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya, ostensibly to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.

The coalition involving US and other countries carried out strikes designed to protect civilians during the uprising in Libya.

The strikes ended in October after Gaddafi had been killed but the country was plunged into chaos with militias taking over and two rival parliaments and governments forming.

The Islamic State (IS) gained a foothold, and Libya became a major departure point for migrants trying to reach Europe.

It is not the first time that Obama will express regrets over Libya.

He told the Atlantic magazine last month the operation went as well as he had hoped, but Libya was now “a mess”.

In that interview, he also criticised France and the UK, in particular saying British Prime Minister David Cameron became “distracted” after the intervention.