The sad part is, I think Barack Obama actually thought Gadaffi was going to do exactly what the President of Egypt did. Just step down. I think Obama got so much of an ego trip by seeing Israel's only friend in the neighborhood President Mubarak step down at the mere sound of his voice that Obama got cocky and thought Gadaffi would do the same.
MISTAKE!
Anybody who knows the history of Gadaffi should know he's not going to step down like that.
Good Lord, I hope he's not that stupid - and, I hope he doesn't have anyone working for him that stupid. But, he very well may be just that stupid.
When this "event" was only days old, several European countries said that they would pursue war-crimes charges against Gaddafi. That made the outcome of this event very predictable - Gaddaffi was either going to quell the rebellion, or he was going to be removed by force - but it became instantaneously clear that he wasn't going to leave of his own volition. Why? Because he doesn't want to be tried and convicted as a war-criminal. This is a completely different dynamic than faced Mubarak, a guy who's only real concern post-presidency was holding onto his fortune or at least enough of it to live comfortably in some plush resort community.
Plus, Gaddafi is passenger #1 on the crazy train. He, as you say, is just not going to go out peacefully.
If Obama and the people who are working for him can't discern this, then we really are in heap big trouble.