Muammar Gadaffi killed

[Pa'li Makto]

Mubarak had a trial..I know that for the dictators a trial would still mean that they would be executed or jailed because the evidence of their tyranny is too great but the trial is still symbolic..An opportunity for legal judgement that people should be entitled to, as all humans. Then hopefully justice will follow. Look at the trials with Hitler's men.

[Marvellous Chester]

Another ruthless dictator falls. After the things he did, how could anyone have shown mercy towards him? He was a cold blooded murderer, he went on TV and vowed to fight to the end against the 'insurgents' and then was found cowering in the sewer - that says it all.

I wonder if the Syrian president will get to see the images of Gadaffi, surely he must be next?

[Tsanten Eywa 'eveng]

I think that why could they not just capture him, and take him in prison, instead of killing him, the same question for Bin Laden

why could they not take Bin Laden in prison, instead of killing him?

here's a quote from a movie

War, what is it good for?

Jack Black - War - ENGLISH (Gulliver's Travels) HD - YouTube

[Moco Loco]

Maybe it wasn't possible, I have no idea. I wasn't there and neither was almost anyone else

[Pa'li Makto]

Support continued:

Senator McCain pushes for weapons sales

During his August 2009 visit to Tripoli, according to the classified record of the meeting, Senator John McCain was frank about his support for Libya’s weapons requests in a meeting with Muammar and Muatassim Gaddafi:

Senator MCCAIN assured Muatassim that the United States wanted to provide Libya with the equipment it needs for its security. He stated that he understood LIBYA’s requests regarding the rehabilitation of its eight C-130s (ref D) and pledged to see what he could do to move things forward in Congress. He encouraged Muatassim to keep in mind the long-term perspective of bilateral security engagement and to remember that small obstacles will emerge from time to time that can be overcome. He described the bilateral military relationship as strong and pointed to Libyan officer training at U.S. Command, Staff, and War colleges as some of the best programs for Libyan military participation.

A blueprint for post-Gaddafi Libya?

Nothing in the leaked documents reviewed here suggests that the NATO-backed removal of the Gaddafi regime was premeditated. On the contrary, the documents show that the United States was more enthusiastic about working with Gaddafi than perhaps Gaddafi was with the Americans – though clearly both stood to gain.

The Americans sought to expand their military presence in Africa and Gaddafi wanted to secure his regime against external threats.

At no point were human rights concerns ever an obstacle to American engagement for either the George W. Bush or Obama administrations.

The documents support the view that the decision to go to war against Gaddafi – in the name of “protecting civilians” was more opportunistic – riding on the back of the “Arab Spring.”

It is likely that after the toppling of the Tunisian and Egyptian presidents by popular uprisings in January and February respectively, top American and NATO decisionmakers believed that once protests started against it, the Gaddafi regime would be too unstable and unreliable to deal with.

Yet, the regime also fought back against the uprising in Libya with a ferocity that exceeded even the violence of the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes. It appears likely that American and allied leaders calculated that with a little push from their bombs, the balance could quickly be tipped in favor of the rebellion.

This mindset is clear from the claim in February – a month before the NATO intervention began – by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, that Gaddafi had already fled to Venezuela.

It was also clear from statements by US military and political leaders, once the bombing began, that the US military role would only last for days.

As it turned out, the war has so far lasted five months, and is not over. The full-extent of atrocities by NATO-backed rebels and Gaddafi loyalists are only now starting to come to light.

But just as the Americans were happy to work with Gaddafi, they will be as keen to work with his successors, who now owe their positions to foreign intervention.

The Americans must hope that the National Transitional Council (NTC) which the US has recognized as the new government will be less mercurial and even more open to “military to military,” and other kinds of ties.

[Marvellous Chester]

@ Tsanten Eywa 'eveng

I think the reason for killing him was indeed for revenge, however perhaps it's better off that way. Gaddafi still had supporters and had he been kept alive, they'd have had reason to carry out attacks against the new government. The same goes for Bin Laden. I think the way they have handled his burial is very bad though. Instead of burying him and continuing to be noble about it they have left his body in a city to be photographed by the populace Taking into account what a great job they made of the uprising, it's sad to see such a .... 'dishonourable' end to it.