Dalton told the British newspaper Independent on Sunday that Gadhafi
was unable to back down from a confrontation with the opposition campaign.
The former envoy said Gadhafi's intransigence would merely bolster the
threat to his regime.
"Gadhafi will find it hard to make concessions in order to survive."
Dalton said.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch reported that more than 100
civilians have been shot and killed by Libyan security forces in four days
of clashes in Benghazi. But diplomats said they have heard reports that the
number could be closer to 200.
On Feb. 21, at least 50 people were killed in clashes with security
forces. Opposition sources said that in some cases Libyan soldiers joined
the protesters.
Opposition sources said anti-government forces have taken over most of
Benghazi. They said most government offices and police stations have been
torched by huge mobs.
On Feb. 20, 50 Muslim clerics appealed to Libyan soldiers and officers
to stop the regime crackdown. The clerics included religious leaders from
the capital of Tripoli.
"Do not kill your brothers and sisters," the appeal read. "Stop the
massacre now."
The opposition campaign has sparked counter-demonstrations by the
Gadhafi regime. In Tripoli, about 3,000 Gadhafi supporters expressed
support for the colonel into the early hours of Feb. 20.
The regime, which severed cellular phone and Internet service, has
acknowledged the current unrest. The official Libyan news agency, Jana, said
anti-Gadhafi forces engaged in arson and vandalism in several cities.
"This was the work of a foreign network trained on how to create clashes
and chaos so as to destabilize Libya," Jana said.
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