Events in North Africa and elsewhere in the Arab world have given European leaders the opportunity to try and redeem the legacy of their colonial pasts. The heads of government in Great Britain, France and Italy have called for NATO to actively support the Libyan rebels and force Col. Qaddafi to relinquish control.

Foreign powers are the engineers of Libya’s commercial wealth. To the extent they intervene, they will become responsible for the country’s civic order and equitable distribution of its wealth, too. The price of its oil will go far beyond royalties and the military overthrow of a dictator.