Attack on Libya

A coalition, led by the US, France and the UK have, with a UN mandate attacked Libyan ground bases to enforce an imposed no-fly zone.
I wonder if it will all end in tears. The UN mandate aims to protect civilians being killed by Gaddafi's forces, presumably to promote regime change to a more democratic system.
As in other 'tribal' countries this is a rather optimistic scenario, because I believe that siren call of 'Democracy', heard by the populace from across the world through social networking sites fills them with an expectancy that, even if it were true, cannot be realised to everyones satisfaction. In Tunisia, Bahrain, Iran, the call is all the same, putting people on the street calling for political change. Is it any wonder that Gaddafi, a Libyan patriot, once a national hero, who I believe is making great use of oil revenues to build the Libyan infrastructure, particularly the new water pipelines taking water to the desert, is upset. He wants the people to get behind him, not get in his way.
Okay, there are problems; there are in every country in the world, but is it worth inciting all this bloodshed, because some people are bewitched by the prospect of 'Democracy'. I doubt it. Do they imagine they will be better off with a Democratic country? I doubt that too.
If the coalition is truly trying to promote the Human Rights of the Libyans, why then did they not act in Rhodesia and aim to depose Mugabe when he was slaughtering the opposition. Could it be that Rhodesia had nothing to offer the West, whereas Libya has oil?

I believe that the West, principally the European countries should be engaging more with Gaddafi because the country has so much to offer. Apart from the historical sites linking Libya to the Carthaginians and the Romans at Leptis Magna, there are thousands of miles of unspoilt Mediterranean coastline. Wouldn't it be better if, instead of attacking the country, the Europeans engaged in building bridges with Libya, promoting trade that allowed the better integration of all the people of the country and the building of modern institutions that served them.