Tonight, Libya appears to be on the verge of a full on civil-war. The interior minister has defected to the opposition and urged the army to do likewise. The interior minister has also warned that there are half a million mercenaries in Libya under Gaddafi’s orders. This seems further grim confirmation of just how far Gaddafi is prepared to go to hang onto power.
If Gaddafii does step up his campaign of violence against his own people it raises the question of what the international community can—and should—do. There’ll be some who say that this is no one but Libya’s business. But this argument is flawed strategically as well as morally as slaughter in Libya will have a spill-over effect.
The UN Security Council has just issued a statement calling for those responsible for attacks on civilians to be held to account. But if Gaddafi starts using his air force against his own people then immediate action will be needed.
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