And how exactly are they planning on circumventing their own arms embargo (which has no exemption for non-regime forces)? By claiming the weapons can only be used to “protect civilians.”

(Independent) — The United States paved the way to arming rebel groups in Libya as leaders from nearly 40 countries met in London to discuss the next moves against Colonel Gaddafi’s regime.

The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said she believed that UN resolutions allowed for the “legitimate transfer of arms” to the rebels should any country wish to do so. She added that no decision had been made “at this time” by the US on arming the rebels.

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, said that while Libya was under a United Nations-mandated arms embargo that did not mean arming the rebels was impossible. France said it would also consider supplying weapons. “I remind you it is not part of the UN resolution… but we are ready to discuss it with our partners,” the French Foreign Minister, Alain Juppé, said.

British sources said weapons supplied to opposition groups would, under the UN resolution, have to be used to “protect civilians”. They did not, however, suggest how this could be verified. Asked about arming the rebels, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jabr al-Thani said: “We have to find a way to stop this bloodshed.”