I could be wrong, but I have to believe that whatever the confusions of the Libyan campaign now, President Obama will realize the danger to him of being humiliated by Qaddafi. Making just this point, a friend quotes (by memory) the Malcolm Muggeridge put-down of Anthony Eden over Suez: “In any book of instruction for a man of destiny, defeating the Egyptians would be exercise one.”

Speaking of Suez, Eden famously said, “We are not at war with Egypt. We are in an armed conflict.” And here’s French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, as if on cue yesterday, “We are not at war with Libya, we are protecting the civilian population.”