Gadhafi on the Brink: World Reacts

Leaders around the world have reacted (mostly) favorably to news that Libyan rebels have captured the capitol city of Tripoli and have arrested two of Moammar Gadhafi’s sons.

“It is clear from the scenes we are witnessing in Tripoli that the end is near for Gadhafi. He has committed appalling crimes against the people of Libya and he must go now to avoid any further suffering for his own people.”
--UK Prime Minister David Cameron

“As the outcome is no longer in doubt, the President of the Republic urges Col. Gadhafi to spare his people pointless suffering by renouncing without delay what little powers he retains.”
--French President Nicolas Sarkozy

“Tonight, the momentum against the Gadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant. The surest way for the bloodshed to end is simple: Moammar Gadhafi and his regime need to recognise that their rule has come to an end. Gadhafi needs to acknowledge the reality that he no longer controls Libya. He needs to relinquish power once and for all. Meanwhile, the United States has recognised the Transitional National Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya. At this pivotal and historic time, the TNC should continue to demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the people of Libya, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting the institutions of the Libyan state, and pursuing a transition to democracy that is just and inclusive for all of the people of Libya. A season of conflict must lead to one of peace.”
--U.S. President Barack Obama

“The Libyan people have suffered tremendously under Gadhafi's rule for over four decades. Now they have a chance for a new beginning. Now is the time for all threats against civilians to stop, as the United Nations Security Council demanded. Now is the time to create a new Libya - a state based on freedom, not fear; democracy, not dictatorship; the will of the many, not the whims of a few. That transition must come peacefully. It must come now. And it must be led and defined by the Libyan people.”
-- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

“The only route that Gadhafi should follow is that of giving himself up. The regime should name two authoritative figures that are not stained with blood crimes [to join the transition].”
-- Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini

“We continue to call on Colonel Gadhafi to get out of the way and of course we believe he should face the international charges that are against him. We will as a nation continue to support the people of Libya on what we want to see as a journey to peace and democracy.”
-- Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard

“Hamas welcomes the entry by Libyan revolution fighters into the capital Tripoli and congratulates them on this great victory. We hope this will represent a turning point in the history of Libya towards progress and prosperity in implementing the will of the Libyan people.”
-- Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri

“Today we are seeing images of how the democratic European governments -- well some of them are (democratic) -- are practically demolishing Tripoli with their bombs and the supposedly democratic government of the United States, because they feel like it. Today they dropped I don't know how many bombs and they are dropping them indiscriminately and openly ... over schools, hospitals, houses, businesses, factories, farms. And we call on God to bring peace of the Libyan people and the people of the world.”
-- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

NTC will move soon from Benghazi to Tripoli and they will appoint a new transitional government which will rule the country.
-- Libyan National Transitional Council's representative in London, Mahmud Nacua

“The Chinese side respects the choice of the Libyan people. The Chinese side is willing to work with the international society to play a positive role in the reconstruction process of Libya in the future.
-- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu