Criticism of air strikes on Libya on financial grounds are misplaced as some things are more important than money and the use of a no fly zone should be decided purely on moral grounds. Whilst acknowledging that this is seldom the case the use of the financial argument does highlight the lie behind the need for the savage cuts when we are not quite so broke as the Government would like to make out. Indeed as suspected the deficit is purely an excuse for the Conservatives in particular to strip the state back as much as they can and hand over services to the private sector.
   After complaining about the price of the war only then do certain commentators make mention of similar situations where we have not intervened e.g. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia so for the benefit of Kelvin Mackenzie and any wannabee dictators the formula is quite simple. If you wish to rule your country in a tyrannical manner and oppress your people you need to ensure that you either have nothing of any worth in your country so that nobody will bother taking action against you, you are not in a strategic location geographically whereby access to your territory would be beneficial to another state or if this is not the case then to make sure you offer large rewards and incentives to other large nations so they fear overturning your rule would see the disappearance of such kickbacks. Another alternative would be build up your military prowess to frighten off possible invaders but in a way to suggest that you may lend your troops to aid in other wars.
   The polite and friendly despot will see him given freer reign to put down his people than the angry, rhetoric spouting ideologue who likes to fan the flames against all others. Such words may be enough to see him take power in the first place but they will not help him indefinitely no matter how safe he believes himself to be.