Libya intervention threatens the Arab spring

[Derechos]

Western air and naval strikes against Libya are threatening the Arab Spring.

Ironically, one of the reasons many people supported the call for a no-fly zone was the fear that if Gaddafi managed to crush the Libyan people's uprising and remain in power, it would send a devastating message to other Arab dictators: Use enough military force and you will keep your job.

Instead, it turns out that just the opposite may be the result: It was after the UN passed its no-fly zone and use-of-force resolution, and just as US, British, French and other warplanes and warships launched their attacks against Libya, that other Arab regimes escalated their crack-down on their own democratic movements.

In Yemen, 52 unarmed protesters were killed and more than 200 wounded on Friday by forces of the US-backed and US-armed government of Ali Abdullah Saleh. It was the bloodiest day of the month-long Yemeni uprising. President Obama "strongly condemned" the attacks and called on Saleh to "allow demonstrations to take place peacefully".

But while a number of Saleh's government officials resigned in protest, there was no talk from Saleh's US backers of real accountability, of a travel ban or asset freeze, not even of slowing the financial and military aid flowing into Yemen in the name of fighting terrorism.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/03/20113227357222118.html#

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

1. is that why Saleh has said he would leave by year's end?

[Adsos Letter]

2. Whether Saleh steps down, or initiates a civil war will depend on what the military does.

If the generals who have not defected remain loyal, we may well see a civil war between loyal military/defecting military units; if all eventually defect, Saleh will have little choice but to leave immediately.