The mood here is very gloomy. Back when they kicked out Ben Ali and Mubarak there was celebration on HN. I guess you're not really a dictator unless you're an ally of the US, huh?
Ben Ali was not shot in the head by an armed mob. Mubarak wasn't killed either. There was a stable transition in either case.
The issue isn't that anyone sympathizes with Gadaffi, but that it calls into question the solidarity and stability of the rebel government. Until now, Libyans have been united by their hatred of Gadaffi but we haven't seen whether the government can pull Libya together in a post-Gadaffi nation or really what kind of government or society will emerge. This execution was an action by Libyans with guns against the express will of the nominal government (which wanted to try him first.) It's a bad omen.
I hope yours is the correct explanation. Nevertheless, I get the feeling that many Americans for some reason sympathize with anti-Americanist foreign leaders, even if their own people consider them ruthless dictators.
(I'm not American, btw.)
The same Qaddafi who was a "partner in the war on terror" when Prime minister Blair visited in 2004 ?
Or the same Qaddafi that provided the `special questioning` facilities when the British secret service sent the current democratic leader there to be interrogated about terrorist links.
The sympathizing I've seen and sometimes feel is more along the lines of the US not admitting its own evil doing and how its actions cause lots of blowback that just hurts the country more. Then as with other comments here, it's annoying and disturbing that we've gotten in the habit of just killing people we don't like. It's a contrast to Saddam, whom we captured and gave a trial to, as well as interviewed for some interesting information (at the very least of historical interest). Read the transcript for the interview sometime; he may have been corrupt but he wasn't stupid.
