Clark also says: "it would become the United States vs. Gaddafi, and we would be committed to fight to his finish. That could entail a substantial ground operation, some casualties and an extended post-conflict peacekeeping presence."

So I suppose A Guy Called Lulu thinks the US should jump in and clean up Libya? We can't wait for the 10 year+ war to end in Afghanistan, and Obama is supposed to jump into another one in a failed state ruled by a madman for 40 years in Africa?

Afghanistan has one of the most corrupt governments in the world and we have been there for 10 years an spent hundreds of billions,  and you think we should start another nation/government building enterprise in Libya, which is what Clark is warning us about?

OK, so ideal scenario (at first). 

We fly a few planes over, Qadaffi scoots off the next day to Sudan with a load of his cash.

Ideal scenario over, reality sets in, America now 'owns' Libya. Qadaffi leaves a few million hungry, armed and angry people divided by loyalties and tribes with no government, dozens or more Qadaffi wannabes the big Qadaffi left behind who may take hostage any American or European they can get their hands on, no functioning state institutions, most or all foreign workers gone and who are not eager to return to do work no Libyan can apparently do, oil facilities damaged, many or most locals with scores to settle, no history of self-government and everyone has their hand out or in the back pocket of the first American who hits the beach? A good plan?

Libya is also over 3 times as big as Iraq, although with only about a quarter of the population. Libya holds billions in stock of companies in Italy, and Italy and Europe are the primary trading partners with Qadaffi, and Italy gets 1/4 or more of its natural gas from Libya. Qadaffi gets many of his aircraft and weapons from France. These European countries all have an air force and an army. Let them lead on it.  Let the Arab states like Egypt or Saudi Arabia help, they have billions in weapons and fighter aircraft we have sold them and trained them on over the years.

I think it is wise for Obama to not jump the gun in this complicated and uncertain situation.