World leaders react

No official confirmation from the White House yet as we wait for final confirmation, but we’re starting to get a few reactions from world leaders. Here’s British Prime Minister David Cameron:  I think today is a day to remember all of Colonel Gaddafi’s victims, from those who died in connection with the Pan Am flight ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.

No official confirmation from the White House yet as we wait for final confirmation, but we're starting to get a few reactions from world leaders. Here's British Prime Minister David Cameron

No official confirmation from the White House yet as we wait for final confirmation, but we’re starting to get a few reactions from world leaders. Here’s British Prime Minister David Cameron

I think today is a day to remember all of Colonel Gaddafi’s victims, from those who died in connection with the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, to Yvonne Fletcher in a London street, and obviously all the victims of IRA terrorism who died through their use of Libyan semtex.

We should also remember the many, many Libyans who died at the hands of this brutal dictator and his regime.

People in Libya today have an even greater chance after this news of building themselves a strong and democratic future. I am proud of the role that Britain has played in helping them to bring that about and I pay tribute to the bravery of the Libyans who helped to liberate their country. We will help them, we will work with them and that is what I want to say today. Thank you.

Italian Prime Minsiter and longtime Muammar buddy Silvio Berlusconi

"Now the war is over. Sic transit gloria mundi [Thus passes the glory of the world].

Republican front-runner Mitt Romney has also weighed in on Twitter:

Muammar al-Qaddafi was a tyrant who terrorized the Libyan people and shed American blood and the world is a better place without him.

 

I’ll update this post as more reactions come in:

 

Ban Ki-Moon:

"In the coming days, we will witness scenes of celebration, as well as grief for those who lost so much. Yet let us recognize, immediately, that this is only the end of the beginning," Ban said, referring in part to the work that Libya’s anti-Gadhafi movement still has to do to transition from Gadhafi’s regime. "The road ahead for Libya and its people will be difficult and full of challenges.".

Angela Merkel:

"A bloody war which Gadhafi waged against his own people now comes to a close. The way is finally clear for a new and peaceful political beginning."

 

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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