Lebanon supported the move by the Arab League in part because a senior Shia scholar who had gone to Libya to attempt to dissuade Gadaffi from one of his follies was, presumedly, killed by Gadaffi. Hezbollah, a Shia group financed by Iran, took and takes grave exception. And I suspect Iran has other reasons to hate Gadaffi. He has alienated just about everyone, excepting some comparable moral monsters, such as Mobuto, and, until recently, Berlescuoni.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."