http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/world/africa/21libya.html?_r=2&partner=MYWAY&ei=5065
As natural and moral as it is to defend the people of Libya, we may as well be realistic about what our limitations are and what scenario will likely emerge.
This could collapse the regime, in which case we have no one that is prepared to lead the country. That will require NATO occupation and several years, at least, of occupation and administration.
It could entrench the regime by stalling their advance on the opposition, balanced by the fact that the opposition is not strong enough or organized enough to collapse the regime on its own. That would lead to years of low grade civil war, during which at some point the NATO allies would lose interest. That is Qaddafi's key to survivial - drawing this out. In a number of months his ability to pay his soldiers, one of his few means of retaining order and loyalty, will be severely restrained. He needs to be in control at that point and have NATO lose interest, primarily the United States.
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