While Black Wolf et. al. make good points (better points then this one), there is an economic reason for why we got involved in Libya so early.
Libya sits next to some of the world's major shipping lanes and had the wherewithal to close them to unescorted commercial traffic. We've been down this particular path once, during the Tanker War in the '80s, and there's no reason to believe Mr. Q/K/G wouldn't go the Saddam or Khomeini route and attempt to hold world commerce hostage for support. Better to take away the option before he thinks to exercise it.