The West Splits

Indeed.

Although I am all for recognizing the Libyan rebels. In lieu of a more substantive response, the knowledge that The West approves of their cause will at least give meaning to their last hours on the planet.

And although I expect someone like Terry Glavin will appear and lay it all down to Bono and Jane Fonda, I don't think the blame for any of this divides along Left/Right coordinates. Governments of all stripes have tolerated Gadhafi over the decades, and are chickening out in the face of his aggression even as you read this.

Nor is there necessarily much blame to be had. Even a no-fly zone effectively means that some combination of Europe and the Anglosphere gets entangled in another Arab War, which would make 3 in total (with, who knows, maybe Iran on the horizon). I for one don't like the sound of that.

One perhaps useful take-away lesson from the Libyan revolution has to do with the limited ability of social media to effect social change. Its fine for organizing rallies and such-like, but until Facebook and Twitter and etc. allow you to email tanks and anti-aircraft weapons, its not good for much more than that.

Oh? And did you hear about that thing in Japan?

Plus its raining.