Not sure the point you're making there GreenKnight. After all it's no different from supporting the Mujhadeen in the war against the Russians or encouraging the marsh Arabns to rise up against Saddam (or indeed supporting any opposition party for that matter!).
Ultimately, IMHO, the rebels are the ones to have shot themselves in the foot - a country as generous with it's overseas aid as UK is not one to pi55 off (however much we belittle oursleves on boards such as these). Oil or no oil (the production of which I assume is slowly grinding to a halt now that the expats from countires various have got the hell out of dodge
) should they succeed in overthrowing the current regime (which as every day goes by, again IMHO, seems more and more unlikely) they are going to need a lot of help in establishing law and order again (and not just financial).