Amid mass protests demanding his resignation, Libyan autocrat Muammar al-Qaddafi clung to power as his governmental power structure eroded around him. As international isolation mounts, observers suggest the Libyan state apparatus (al-Jazeera) is facing collapse as officials abandon the government. Qaddafi held his grip on the capital of Tripoli on Wednesday, but large areas of the country's east remain out of his control. Protestors backed by defecting army units (BBC) are thought to have almost the entire eastern half of Libya under their control. Some observers place the death toll from the political unrest at close to a thousand. In a televised speech, Qaddafi vowed to track down and kill protesters (NYT)--who he called cockroaches--"house by house." However, there is little evidence that pro-regime supporters heeded his call. French President Nicolas Sarkozy became the first international leader to call for sanctions (FT) to be imposed on Libya. Libya's turmoil had less of an impact on oil prices than on Tuesday when the price of crude hit a two-and-a-half-year high of $108.70.

Analysis:

It's unclear whether Muammar Qaddafi's regime will survive after a failed, but brutal, crackdown on protesters in Libya. But if Qaddafi goes, CFR's Robert Danin says Libya lacks the elements needed for a smooth and peaceful transition of power.

In this article for the National Review, CFR's Elliott Abrams discusses how the bloody violence being used by the Qaddafi regime is the harbinger of its collapse.

This issue guide provides a range of background and analysis on the protests in the Middle East and North Africa.

Multimedia:

This interactive map from the Economist provides a statistical hub containing key data from all the countries of the Arab League.