Tribal War in Libya?

A month or more ago, when NATO first got involved in Libya, I suggested to you that the "troubles" there could be tribal. I believe The New York Times' Tom Friedman has made the same point.

Now see the Associated Press article in Yahoo News which begins with this line:

Moammar Gadhafi warned from hiding Thursday that tribes loyal to him were well-armed and preparing for battle, hours after rebels hoping for a peaceful surrender extended the deadline for loyalist forces to give up in the longtime Libyan leader's hometown.

Let's recap: first, tribes in the east around Benghazi opposed the Gaddafi regime. With NATO help they defeated Gaddafi. Very soon these eastern tribes will constitute the formal government of Libya.

Now Gaddafi is claiming the desert tribes in the west, his tribes, will oppose the new regime. If he is correct, Libya may turn out to be less "Arab spring" and more civil or tribal war.