· Yet the alliance now is threatening to bomb the rebels, its erstwhile allies. If the National Transitional Council “attacks civilians, the mandate would give the international community the grounds to intervene,” said British officials. If that happens, at least jet fuel could be saved by combining combat runs against both sides. While not as bad as the government, the rebels have been detaining, torturing and even killing some civilians accused of supporting Qaddafi. Noted Human Rights Watch, “the opposition authorities do not always distinguish [civilians] from captured fighters.” A United Nations panel concluded that the opposition also had committed “some acts which would constitute war crimes,” though not more widespread “crimes against humanity.”

This is a policy? It makes George W. Bush look good.

Libya is a foolish war even more foolishly conducted. One is tempted to imagine that it cannot get worse—but, of course, it most certainly can. More Libyans will die in an interminable civil war. More U.S. and European resources will be wasted half-heartedly fighting an unnecessary war. More Western credibility will be tossed away. More Islamic enemies will be made among those opposed to allied intervention and those appalled by allied incompetence.

Finally, the civil war, if Qaddafi eventually falls, probably will be followed by another civil war, concentrated among the winning rebels. And the allies will feel pressure to again intervene, lest the “wrong” people take power. Then the U.S. and NATO will end up involved in their third nation-building exercise in a Muslim state in a decade.

Only Libya’s lack of strategic importance to America offers any hope. This disaster may fade away without great consequence. Administration policy ultimately may look more like a collision of rickshaws than locomotives. If we are lucky.

Image by David Spigolon