Washington, Mar 15 (PTI) As the Arab League in a consensus decision endorsed a no-fly zone over Libya imposed by Western nations, a top US lawmaker has demanded that the League should pay for imposing such an expensive option against the North African nation.

"Given the costs of a no-fly zone, the risks that our involvement would escalate, the uncertain reception in the Arab street of any American intervention in an Arab country, the potential for civilian deaths, the unpredictability of the endgame, the strains on our military, and other factors, it is doubtful that US interests would be served by imposing a no-fly zone over Libya," said Senator Richard Lugar, the Ranking Republican in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.