The Libya event is a real triumph for the Bush policy, almost more so than Iraq. One major reason for regime change in Iraq was that it was a "keystone" of the Middle East, and it's liberation would help to fold up other hostile regimes in the area without having to actually attack them. A few months ago I would have bet on Iran cracking before Libya, but Libya is good.

Den Beste discusses this, and points out an intriguing "good cop-bad cop" scenario between the U.S. and Britain. Sounds plausible.

We are going to be hearing a lot of spin from the media about this showing how "diplomacy" works just as well as military force, and they will not like admitting that it was the dramatic downfall of Saddam due to military force that really brought Qaddafi around. To its credit, the NYT manfully steps up to the plate, and gives Bush and Blair credit.

DEBKAfile (yeah, I know) says that the dismantling of Libya's nuke program will put a serious dent in North Korea's and Iran's. I don't know if this is really true, but that would be more good news.