Two events are grabbing the international headlines – the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which have left in its wake the loss of thousands of lives; and the ongoing conflict in Libya in which innocent lives are being lost by an uncaring regime bent on retaining power at any, or all cost. Both are deadly in terms of scope and consequences, except that in the case of Libya the disaster resulted from human greed and the lust for power.
The international community has a duty and responsibility to come to the rescue of both countries, if only out of humanitarian considerations. Time is of the essence and any procrastination on the part of the big powers can prove disastrous. In this regard, the decision of the Arab states to support a no-fly zone in Libya is a welcome development since it will provide the United States and other western states with  regional coverage to intervene militarily. The United States and the European Union indicated that any military intervention must have the endorsement of the United Nations, in particular since the fiasco in Iraq and Afghanistan.