Precision bombing would indeed solve the problem, just as it would have twenty years ago if they had used the right equipment (or if KMB hadn’t been around).

Keep in mind that there is a very strong opposition force and all they need is a ‘leveling of the playing field’. Precision bombing can do more than leveling it – it can tip it significantly in favour of the rebels.

As with any military operation there will be a cost in innocent lives and it is indeed a dilemma how to balance these against the lives that would be saved. I do not envy the people who have to make such decisions.

In any case the real problem is the lack of political will to do anything. They can easily achieve the results. The question is whether they want to.

Amen to that.

Moral and practical support to people opposing Gaddafi by supplying arms and intelligence information and taking a definitive stand in their favour.

Political and economic isolation that is exactly that – no waffling and dancing on the sidelines, no fretting about data protection and offshore companies, no turning of blind eyes because of personal interests.

Flood Libya with humanitarian aid in the form of goods and services.

Prise Gaddafi’s cronies away from him by reversing the means and mechanisms that everyone has used to suck up to them so far.

Put a bounty on Gaddafi’s head and those of his sons and cronies too.

Yes, bomb Gaddafi loyalists too. The hundreds left dead will be fewer than the immediate and slow, tortured death of that will accompany Gaddafi’s survival.

Is it through “surgical bombing” – like the ones witnessed in the Balkans that left hundreds dead?

Is it through political / economic isolation?

What about countries that don’t give a hoot about the UN Sanctions e.g. China / Russia … and see this pogrom as a golden opportunity to make good oil business, are we to sanction / boycott these countries as well…?

Ahh diplomacy… so much talk..

I agree.

Lemons and oranges, Claude. The US hasn’t rid the world of the problems in Iraq and Afghanistan. The corruption and instability is growing and is dragging Pakistan into anarchy. We can conveniently blame this on Bush belligerency, Cheney’s greed and Rumsfeld’s gross ineptitude.

Bush even lost a window where Iran’s progressives had the government and proposed a workable compromise on the nuclear issue. Instead he took to grandstanding, ushering in the fundamentalists…

Libya is a different kettle of fish. I expect Europe to act without waiting for the US’ green light. I expect Germany to break from its shackles and work with France and England on this one. England and Germany have suffered attacks on their territory and France had to engage them on the southern border with Chad. Enough with this clown!

On the other hand intervention has to be judicious and calculated. The reason to intervene should be judged more on the effect intervention will have to Libya then on how it will effect domestic opinion polls.

They rid us of two very problematic governments and with a lot of sacrifice are trying to bring these two countries into the international fold. And yet the criticism they get is incredible.

Now, because they are trying to stay a step back they are being criticised as well. Till a couple of days most were saying that if the west get involved they will ruin the work of the people. Now its the opposite. If America went in head on they would have been accused of doing so because of the oil. .