Absent the initial push from France and Great Britain, the US would most likely have remained passive, which was what the State and Defense Departments advised. (The State Department even went so far as to warn France and Great Britain not to vote for United Nations Resolution 1973, which authorized intervention.)
利比亚就是如此，美国扮演的角色是“幕后领导”。但这一概念是不恰当的，因为这意味着说到底美国仍是领导者。显然，事实并非如此。若不是法国和英国在一开始的行动，美国极有可能会保持消极观望，这也正是其国务院和国防部所建议的。（美国国务院甚至警告法国和英国不要投票赞成授权干预的联合国1973号提案。）