Simply put: Libya we can do something about. The example of Zimbabwe's a good one, as they're a landlocked country surrounded by neighbouring states not willing to allow intervention over Robert Mugabe's regime, as brutal as it is. The 2003 Iraq war for instance, wouldn't have happened had Bahrain, Qatar and most importantly Kuwait not agreed to allow the UK, US and Australian (everybody forgets about the Aussie's contribution for some reason) forces to use their territory to launch the invasion of Iraq, as Saudi Arabia were having none of it.
Libya meanwhile is a coastal country, meaning ships and aircraft can transit it without needing to negotiate basing rights, whilst France and Italy are just across the Mediterranean, and willing partners in getting rid of the frankly, out and out ******* that Gahdaffi is.
