Colonel Ghadaffi wants a cease fire. Fine, but Western governments should insist that
the no-fly zone still comes into force; that a new UN resolution is drafted to specify cantoment areas for his forces; and that a UN-mandated Arab Leage but NATO-enabled interpositional force is
deployed to ensure the ceasefire holds, perhaps with an Egyptian officer as the head working in tandem with the UN and EU envoys to kickstart a political process. Finally, the West should lend
massive support to the “free republic” of Benghazi – economic, military and so on.
That is the kind of ceasefire the West can accept. Not a ploy that aims to pick the weakest link of the coalition, the United States, away from the policy, but robust action that sees David Cameron’s strategy through to the end.

Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in