This article explores the international politics regarding Muammar Muhammad Gaddafi's regime and the civil war in Libya in a context of liberalization and democratization of the Arab Spring. The study presents the varying positions taken by the five permanent member states of the UN Security Council, and their levels of adherence to the spirit of Responsible to Protect (R2P). The analysis explores the content of Resolutions 1970 and 1973, and statements made by external parties before, during, and after those resolutions were enacted. It is argued that although R2P has been proclaimed to be a core principle for human security, the Libyan crisis shows much discrepancy and confusion by the international community regarding how that principle should be applied to enduring dictatorial regimes.