Muammer Gaddafi is the eternal revolutionary. In his anti-imperialist days, he roused trouble by backing rebels and radicals abroad, a costly strategy that he eventually had to abandon. His reincarnation as a mainstream, more responsible member of the world community secured the survival of his regime but it also left him looking for a new cause. Now he appears to have found his next big revolution: upheaval at home.

As Libya has sealed its international rehabilitation - a procession of world leaders have knocked on Mr Gaddafi's door in recent weeks, including Italy's Silvio Berlusconi and the US's Condoleezza Rice - the colonel has turned against his own cabinet, in effect demanding its abolition.