“I Will Mourn the Loss of Thousands of Precious Lives, but I Will Not Rejoice in the Death of One, Not Even an Enemy."

So Colonel Gaddafi was killed this week. I couldn't help coming to the same conclusion as the UN: How did it happen? and why?The first thing I thought was how does the new Libyan government expect to fulfil their commitments of a free and fair democratic society? Democracy, by definition, applies to all. Including former dictating tyrants. No matter the outcome of a fair trial (most likely the noose as seen with Saddam Hussein), surely the people most affected by Gaddafi's reign would have felt that justice had been served. Death is an easy escape for someone who spent 42 years causing pain and suffering to innocent people. The New York Times said: "Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya died as he lived — violently." Gaddafi forced his way into power with a military coup in 1969, since then he ruled with force. To me, this does not bode well for the future government, if killing people without fair trial is the way that things are done by the National Transitional Council (NTC- the anti-Gaddafi forces) then how can a free and fair democracy be built on that basis? As the BBC said: "The killing of the colonel will do little to encourage Gaddafi loyalists of the NTC's ability to ensure a path of national healing." Admittedly, democracy will be a challenge for a state which has never enjoyed free elections and there is a long way to go from here to freedom of the people.