>
> Of course I agree with the thrust of your analysis, but am less certain
> that the aim is partition. My impression is that the cleavages in Libya do
> not as much run on sectarian or geographic lines as they did in Iraq, and
> even there partititon was rejected by the Shia and Sunni parties, set aside
> by the Kurds, and opposed by US planners who saw the Biden plan as a
> perscription for continued conflict about borders and resources. Unless I'm
> mistaken, the kind of de facto segregation which would have made partition
> more feasible in Iraq is absent in Libya.
>
Well, a couple of things. First of all, I wouldn't say the aim is de jure partition; de facto partition is, however, a logical corollary of the policy thus far undertaken and it is important that policymakers have stated this. Secondly, I think you're dead wrong about Libya. The regional cleavages are obvious, inasmuch as the east has long been deliberately underdeveloped by the regime, has a distinctive history originating in Cyrenaica and Italian colonialism, and has been a hotbed of Islamist opposition. The geographical bases for partition are definitely there.
>
> My own take is that the US and its British and French allies are bent on
> regime change, or at least the removal of Gadhafi,
>
The problem with this appears to be that the UN doesn't seem to have provided the remit for imposing regime change, and I'm not entirely sure that the US is up for it. Certainly, they are interested in strengthening the hand of the rebels; but they don't appear to be prepared for the massive ground operations that the overthrow of Qadhafi would likely involve. That only leaves the creation of an east under the control of a pro-US rump of former regime elements in the transitional council, leaving the dictatorship to control the remainder.
-- Richard Seymour Writer and blogger Email: leninstombblog at googlemail.com Website: http://www.leninology.blogspot.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/leninology Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Seymour_(writer) Book: http://www.versobooks.com/books/nopqrs/s-titles/seymour_r_the_liberal_defense_of_murder.shtml