Securing a Political Resolution to the Libyan Crisis

The ebb and flow of the Libyan civil war has led most American and European commentators to draw two conclusions.  First, the conflict will end with a negotiated settlement. Second, international peacekeepers may be required to make any deal work.

The case for a negotiated settlement is based on the simple fact that a military solution to the crisis is unlikely: The rebels probably cannot win on the battlefield, and Col. Moammar Gadhafi cannot be allowed to do so. A stalemate is also unappealing, not least because it would require the U.S. and Europeans to continue policing Libya's airspace, at significant expense, for the foreseeable future. ...