President Obama hails death of Moammar Gadhafi as new beginning for Libya

President Obama on Thursday described the death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi as a moment of great opportunity for the people of Libya following four decades of "iron fist" rule. Obama also added that the Libyan strongman's death represented a warning to similar authoritarian leaders in the Middle East and northern Africa.

"For the region, today's events prove once more that the rule of an 'iron fist' inevitably comes to an end," Obama said in a speech delivered at the White House Rose Garden. "Across the Arab world, citizens have stood up to claim their rights, youth are delivering a powerful rebuke to dictatorship. And those leaders who try to deny their human dignity will not succeed."

Obama said the notion of a free Libya "seemed impossible" one year ago, when Gadhafi's regime had "detained, beaten and killed" ordinary citizens, and employed terror "as a political weapon."

"Today, we can definitively say that the Gadhafi regime has come to an end. The last major regime strongholds have fallen. The new government is consolidating the control over the country. And one of the world's longest-serving dictators is no more."

The president hailed efforts by the United States, NATO and Arab nations to protect Libyan civilians and praised the people of Libya for their courage and bravery in standing up to the Gadhafi regime.

"So this is a momentous day in the history of Libya. The dark shadow of tyranny has been lifted," Obama said. He stressed that democracy will not be achieved easily, but also emphasized that in the post-Gadhafi phase of its political evolution, Libya will continue to receive support from the United States and elsewhere.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said during a briefing later Thursday that in the wake of Gadhafi's death, "it's clear the NATO mission is coming to an end," in Libya.

Gadhafi died Thursday following a NATO attack in his home city of Sirte. Reuters reports that the former dictator died en route to the hospital.

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