A grateful nation

This picture from Libya is doing the rounds on the internet this morning. Italian, French and British flags are also being hoisted in Benghazi. This spontaneous display of gratitude suggests that some of the Libyan rebels won’t forget who saved them from annihilation. It’s something of a PR coup for NATO; a sign that there is life in the alliance and that it can still be a force for good. 

On the other hand, reservations about the character of the Libyan rebels as a whole and the fragility of the present political situation remain. John R. Bradley has a piece in today’s Mail, reiterating the points he made in the Spectator some time ago. Nature cannot abide a vacuum and Islamists are adept at exploiting that to their own advantage. It would be a mistake to count our chickens at this stage, especially as the Gaddafi regime is not quite finished yet.  

Hat-tip: Harry Cole