Némi Stratfor háttéranyag tavalyról.

 

The Egyptians are on the ground, arming and training the rebels. From their perspective this whole operation is a UK-French-driven campaign.

The US was in many ways pushed into it. The resolution was almost completely drafted by the Brits. 
The UK guy says UK is driven by energy interests in this campaign. BP post-oil spill is suffering in US other options are to expand in Siberia(problems with Russia), Vietnam and .. libya.

They see a Ghadafi ouster  as the best way to meet their energy interests.

 

The French are more complicated. They dont' need the energy. The French had a multi-billion dollar contract signed with Ghadafi for 40 Rafale jets, that was going to be the saving grace for the French defense industry.

Then the French (so he claims) hear about AQIM threats backed by Ghadafi on French targets, and they got pissed. Sarkozy painted himself in a corner.

More than that, though, (and this is what the british and the  french guy agreed on,) was that this was France really, really wanting to show that it can DO this.

To prove its relevance.