Rasha Saad collects opinions on Gaddafi's astonishing demise The bloody killing of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and its implication on the future of Libya was the focus of pundits this week. In the London-based daily Al-Hayat, George Samaan wrote that Gaddafi "failed to change his miserable fate." For Samaan, the death of Gaddafi marks the end of an era. "With Gaddafi's departure, another page of this generation of leaders who jumped to power while inspired by the Egyptian July Revolution and the leadership of Gamal Abdel-Nasser -- whom they tried to inherit -- has been turned," Samaan wrote. Samaan explained that throughout half a century "the putschists relied on the Palestinian cause and the dream of unity to access the palaces" and that this is why youth in the liberation squares are currently rising up against years of wasted, useless slogans that did not free Palestine. "Now, the priority is given to the issues of the people before dealing with the major issues that can only be resolved through development, justice, rights, freedom, equality, power transition and plurality. Hence, the days of individual leaderships and the one ruling party are gone," Samaan perceives. Also in Al-Hayat, Mohamed El-Ashab wrote that before the world could witness the end of the regime and the end of the ruler, Gaddafi could have taken advantage of several exits that would have secured his departure "just like any dictator" abandoning his people or he could have given his affiliates the chance to decide their own fate, thus relieving himself and others. In 'The fall of Gaddafi's illusions" Al-Ashab advises Libyans to put aside the period "extending between the end of the regime and the end of the man [Gaddafi.]" The Libyan revolution, Al-Ashab wrote, must smoothly move to an era of the state under the prevalence of the law, the concepts of pluralism, dialogue and tolerance. "The people of Sirte and other tribes are Libyans first and they are dreaming of a better future that will unite them under the dome of harmony, reconciliation and the democratic will of the people," Al-Ashab maintains. In the Saudi-funded Asharq Al-Awsat Tariq Al-Homayed wrote 'Gaddafi: What a finale!' "This was Gaddafi's end, after he ruled Libya for more than four decades, using fear and terror, exterminating his rivals and espousing lies. He ruled Libya as if he were the state, the law, the dean of Arab rulers, the king of kings, and the commander of the faithful," Al-Homayed wrote. "Gaddafi decorated himself with innumerable titles, however, he died unadorned on the side of the road," Al-Homayed added. Al-Homayed argues that Gaddafi's end does not incite pity as much as it does confusion and bewilderment and causes one to ask if these tyrants never learn their lesson. "After more than four decades of dictatorship, during which he ruled Libya through bloodshed and violence, Muammar Gaddafi faced the same ending that he dished out to all those who opposed him or disagreed with him and his regime. He died in the same manner in which he ordered his men to kill the Libyan rebels throughout the Libyan uprising," Al-Homayed wrote. In the same newspaper, Mshari Al-Zaydi wrote what Jesus Christ said in the Bible: "All those who live by the sword shall die by the sword." "I recalled this as the news of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's death reached me, and as the images of his blood-splattered corpse -- bearing the same strange facial expression that we became used to -- were broadcast around the world," Al-Zaydi wrote. Al-Zaydi wrote that small pockets of resistance may exist under the leadership of Gaddafi's remaining sons. "However, it seems clear that the sun has finally set on the Gaddafi family's presence in the Libyan skyline, and they are now nothing more than a part of Libya's past. What is vitally important today is to look ahead to Libya's future." Al-Zaydi wondered if Gaddafi's death marks the start of the differences between Gaddafi's enemies, or will it serve to help bridge the gap and build common ground between those who joined together to fight the most eccentric dictator in modern history Al-Zaydi warned against differences not only between radicals and those with different ideological interpretations, but also between different clans and tribes. Al-Zaydi referred to "fears that Gaddafi's death might loosen the thin ties that bound together these disparate forces to confront the Libyan tyrant." In the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Abdel-Bari Atwan condemned the bloody killing of Gaddafi. In 'Gaddafi execution was not the right thing', Atwan wrote that for hundreds of thousands of Libyans to celebrate the killing of the dictator Gaddafi after the retaking of his last two strongholds Sirte and Bani Walid was expected, besides being legitimate because the Libyan people have suffered for more than 40 years from his injustice, tyranny, and his regime's corruption. However, Atwan added, what was disappointing was "the inhumane manner in which the Libyan leader was treated after he was injured and captured and also some of his sons and those close to him." "Our true Islamic religion and our Arab traditions and values of which we are proud dictate that we take care of the prisoner and bandage his wounds," Atwan wrote. Atwan wrote that it is true that Gaddafi committed crimes and thus broke all the values of Islam when he tortured Islamists before burning more than 1,000 of them in the Abu-Salim jail. "But we must remember that the revolution against his regime broke out as a result of these inhuman practices," Atwan wrote. "We were expecting the revolutionaries' leaders to present to us a different model and a more civilised and humane treatment of adversaries," Atwan added. In its editorial, the UAE daily Al-Bayan wrote that by declaring the independence of all of Libya and Gaddafi gone, the North African country turned a leaf in its history after four decades of suffering. "As Libya is practically starting from zero, leaders of the interim phase should prepare the country for democratic elections. They should also lead the country's civil society while at the same time keeping the balance among different schools of thoughts and tribes in the country."
