Rebels Solidify Control of Oil Port

There’s good news and bad news for Libyan rebels. The motley crew of armed civilians and mutinied soldiers who control Brega, an eastern oil town, seem to have successfully driven off a push by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi to recapture the town. Rebels have begun fortifying the town against future assaults. But some opposition leaders are continuing to call for foreign air strikes as their push to unseat the longtime leader stalls in the face of military resistance. U.S. leaders have cooled to the prospect of air strikes or a no-fly zone. Meanwhile, tension in the area has driven the price of a barrel of oil above $100.