House Foreign Affairs Chair Ros-Lehtinen on Gadhafi Death

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the South Florida Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released a statement on Thursday on the death of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Tyranny, oppression and violence defined Gadhafis time in power, said the congresswoman. In addition to his brutal treatment of the Libyan people, he is also responsible for attacks that killed Americans and led to Libyas designation as a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. State Department. If Gadhafi is confirmed dead and his loyalists defeated, it marks a critical moment for the Libyan people to turn their nation away from its grim past as a rogue state and toward a future of freedom marked by alliances with the United States, Israel, European democracies, and other responsible nations.

Libyas future must be marked by the establishment of a democratic government which is tolerant, inclusive, and free from extremist influence. The Libyan people must seize this opportunity to realize their democratic aspirations and not squander it through factional fighting over the political spoils. The new leaders must demonstrate a commitment to working with the U.S., and to securing control over dangerous weapons and rooting out extremist groups, added Ros-Lehtinen. Gadhafis fall gives hope to all those around the world who are oppressed by tyrants. These dictators brutalize their own people, endanger global security and protect one another. Gadhafis Libya once served as a member on the discredited U.N. Human Rights Council, where he helped protect fellow human rights violators. Gadhafi even awarded the al Gadhafi International Prize for Human Rights to Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. But, even together, there are limits to their power. The will of free people cannot be suppressed forever.