By Drew Teague

The ousted dictator of Libya, Moammar Gadhafi, was confirmed dead Thursday.

Though there are conflicting reports of how the self-proclaimed “King of Kings” died, reports began to surface Thursday morning that Gadhafi had been killed. It was later confirmed by interim Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril in Tripoli, the nation’s capital.

Suleiman Darrat, a former UK professor of Islamic studies and Libya native, has talked to his relatives in Libya about Gadhafi’s death, and said people are thrilled, and all events, such as weddings, have been canceled because of Gadhafi’s death.

“(Libyans) will be able to make their lives better for themselves and for their families and for their children,” Darrat said.

Darrat said Gadhafi has been in control of “all aspects and matters: communication, economy, (and) healthcare.”

“Everything was really so corrupted,” Darrat said. “So I hope that people throughout the years have learned their lesson.”

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., commented on the death of Gadhafi, saying the new government will be able to be representative after his death.

McConnell said many of the leaders from Libya’s National Transitional Council have been educated in the U.S., and he hopes they will form a representative government that will become an ally of the U.S.

Patterson School Director and former U.S. Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh said “few (people) would argue that this is a good thing” and looks forward to what the government can do following Gadhafi’s death.

“His death today is greater prospect that the new government of Libya will be able to stabilize that country and help move it along a democratic path,” Cavanaugh said.

Cavanaugh said it is too early to tell if Libya will become a democracy, but there are good signs that point towards it.

“The country … has not had experience in any recent time with any form of Democracy,” Cavanaugh said. “The population of Libya is very young, so for most Libyans the only leader they have ever known is Moammar Gadhafi.

“I think we’ve seen in the past several months the desire for democracy and the desire for liberty, the rising strength of the rebel movement that took Tripoli on Aug. 20 and had continued the fight these past two months,” Cavanaugh said.

Paul Chamberlin, an associate professor of history, compared the situation in Libya to that of Middle Eastern countries that have recently lost their long-time rulers.

“We should not look at this as the end of the story in Libya,” Chamberlin said in an email to the Kernel. “The United States has a fairly short attention span on these matters, but the real question is what will happen next. If Iraq and Afghanistan taught the United States and NATO anything, it’s that toppling a government is not enough. The real challenge is rebuilding.”

President Barack Obama spoke from the White House Rose Garden just after 2 p.m. Though he didn’t confirm his death, he had faith in the Libyan government’s confirmation of Gadhafi’s death.

“This marks the end of a long and painful chapter for the people of Libya, who now have the opportunity to determine their own destiny and a new and democratic Libya,” Obama said.

Obama said the Libyans began the change toward democracy based off their courage to stand up to Gadhafi, noting the historical significance of the day.

“(T)he courageous Libyan people fought for their own future and broke the back of the regime,” Obama said. “This is a momentous day in the history of Libya.”

On Feb. 22, UK student Luebab Ahmed helped organize a demonstration for the large population of Libyan’s who immigrated from Libya.

Nearly 100 people, both immigrants from Libya and local supporters, protested Gadhafi and his treatment of the Libyan people at the Fayette Circuit Courthouse.

The group chanted in both English and Arabic and marched around the area. Protesters also held signs at the street corner wanting drivers to honk in support of the rally.

“Libya will travel a long and winding road to full democracy,” Obama said. “There will be difficult days ahead. But the United States, together with the international community, is committed to the Libyan people.”