While there is considerable confusion over what is happening in Libya, it is clear that by cutting off communications, especially the internet and closing the country to news media, the government is accepting blame for the uprising. The official news agency of the government, Jamahiriya News Agency (JANA), has been off line for several days. The government has banned al-jazeera as well and it appears from Italian and Egyptian sources that segments of the military have defected to Malta. Twitter communications from Libyans report most of the country has also gone over to revolt (http://allafrica.com/...). Since the government has closed communications to news agencies we can only surmise these reports have some degree of truth. Reports from Afrol African news indicate that Libyan troops loyal to the government are on their way to Tripoli. This is the Khamis Brigade led by Qaddafi's son Khamis (http://www.afrol.com/...). Qaddafi seems to be betting on a blood bath to cow the rest of the nation. The results will only further isolate him, but given this has been his condition for the past 30 of the last 40 years, he is used to it.
Calls by people in Benghazi and exiles abroad for a no-fly zone over Libya will be discussed in New York at the Security Council. Sources have already reported to the BBC that it is unlikely such a vote will take place. Failures of the UN to do so in Iraq, Bosnia (http://www.afrol.com/...) are foremost in many people's minds. The UN is under significant pressure not to do so even though it is still criticized for its failure to intervene in Rwanda and other locations (e.g. East Timor) in a timely fashion to avert massacres. A no-fly zone would require command and control from some nearby country. The most likely would be a Moslem country like Turkey, the spectre of an EU force would be politically sensitive. A combined Russian/Turkish force would be the most practical if bases were available in Malta or Italy. Putting something like that into action would take time, though even the passage of such a measure would most likely suppress pro-government military action and give Libya's air force reason to delay action.
AllAfrica.com reports from sources inside Libya that foreign mercenaries are firing on unarmed people in the streets of Tripoli (http://allafrica.com/...).