ONCE again Libya is on the front page. It had been missing for some time as News of the World saga took centre stage.

However, the bombing continued but now have we finally realised that you cannot win a war from the air alone, we have reached a stalemate – so after all this time we will ask the diplomats at the Libyan embassy to please leave.

In the meantime, a French military spokesman says weapons including assault rifles, machine guns and rocket launchers were air-dropped to rebels earlier this month in the western Nafusa mountains; better late than never, but it is too late now.

David Mack, a former US diplomat in the Middle East, said: “The idea this would be quick and easy was oversold at the beginning, NATO expected the war would be over by now but were obviously too optimistic, panic may have set in with the onset of the holy month of Ramadan. “Let’s be grateful that even if they decide to let the Libyan leader stay in Tripoli it could be the end of more bloodshed.”

Dennis Barton, Woodthorpe, York.