'We're coming''.Yesterday these words meant Gaddafi's threat: today they are the promise made by Sarkozy and Cameron, the 'leaders' of the coalition of the willing who, along with the United States and some Arab nations are preparing to take action in Libya even before NATO has completed all of its decision-making stages.

Preparations are going ahead despite the sudden 'cease-fire' declared by Tripoli, which is held to be ''a bluff'' by Benghazi and a overdue move by Europe's governments.

''Inertia has too often meant a condemnation of populaces to injustice'' the French President intoned in Paris, where tomorrow he will host an EU super-summit with the African Union and the Arab League along with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Thus the next chapter in the diplomatic war waged by the Western powers seems to be taking shape. But for 'Sarko' it will also provide an opportunity to reaffirm his government's opposition to a targeted intervention by NATO going alone - which would be the worst signal to send ''to Arab countries''.

Whether it be under a NATO umbrella, or under that of a coalition 'aux francaise', armed intervention is poised to go.

The pincer is now ready to close in on Gaddafi. Paris and London have already started deploying their fighter-bomber jets.

Along with them, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark as well as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and perhaps Jordan too are ready to go.

The United States are militarily poised for action. Italy has been the first to close its embassy in Tripoli, with Foreign Minister Frattini promising to ''make bases and more available'' as well as to be ''loyal to both NATO and to the EU''.

Italian Defence Minister La Russa spoke of possible participation alongside the coalition, whose military reaction would probably be prompter than that of NATO ''if called for''.