Intervention with uncertain consequences

The UN Security Council's decision in favour of a no-fly zone over Libya is good news but could have dangerous consequences, writes the daily De Standaard: "Since the war in Iraq we have known that a war is unpredictable from day one. ... This is not an invasion, but the example of Kosovo showed in 1999, it could be a long time before the air strikes force the dictator to his knees - and in comparison with Gaddafi the late [president of Serbia] Slobodan Milošević was a very rational man. This could be a long war. Intervention in a civil war raises many questions. What do we do if - in the best case - Gaddafi's military offensive is successfully halted? Continue to fly over Libya? Arm the rebels? And what's Plan B if this fails and the no-fly zone doesn't deter Gaddafi and his army? Do we send in ground troops?"

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