NO BETTER THAN BIN LADEN – AT 8:24 A.M. ET:  That's a fair description of Muammar Qaddafi, who remains in power, even as NATO air strikes continue, with no apparent end in sight to the conflict.  From Fox:

NATO warplanes struck Tripoli early Tuesday in the heaviest bombing of the Libyan capital in weeks, hours after an uptick in fighting between rebels and Muammar Qaddafi's forces on a long deadlocked front line in the country's east.

NATO struck at least four sites in Tripoli, setting off crackling explosions that thundered through the city overnight. One strike hit a building that local residents said was used by a military intelligence agency. Another targeted a government building that officials said was sometimes used by parliament members.

It was not immediately clear what the other two strikes hit, but one of them sent plumes of smoke over Tripoli. Libyan officials would not say what that strike hit but the smoke appeared to come from the sprawling compound housing members of Qaddafi's family.

Between explosions, an aircraft dropped burning flares. Some residents responded by raking the sky with gunfire and beeping their horns.

The Tripoli bombing came just hours after heavy fighting was reported Monday on the eastern front, south of Ajdabiya, a rebel-held town about 90 miles (150 kilometers) south of Benghazi, the rebel headquarters in the east.

COMMENT:  Look, this isn't going anywhere.  Obama spoke brave words about getting Qaddafi out of power, then never followed up.

It's known that Qaddafi follows American military action closely, with an eye to self-preservation.  It was just after the U.S. captured Saddam Hussein that Libya suddenly gave up its nuclear program, the better to avoid American action that might bring down the house of Qaddafi.

I would hope that the U.S. and its allies would now use the killing of bin Laden as a weapon against the Libyan leader.  The message would be clear:  "Look, Muammar, you saw what happened to your pal Osama.  He got in our way, he sleeps with the fishes.  Now, we know where you are, Muammar.  You could wind up like Osama, or you could get out of Libya and maybe face some legal charges.  But at least you'll have your life and three squares a day.  We've got a planeload of missiles pointed at your bedroom, Muammar.  So what do you say?"

Given Qaddafi's history, I'll bet he takes the first jetliner out.  I hope we do it.

May 10, 2011