Tate Zeigler (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement on the reported death of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

 

“The Mad Dog of the Middle East is dead and the Libyan people can breathe a sigh of relief.  I hope Gaddafi’s death will be the end of the killing in Libya and the beginning of building a just and civil society.

 

“From my recent visit to Libya it was striking how much the Libyan people feared a Gaddafi return to power.   Today’s actions should allow the economic and political decisions which were put on hold until he was accounted for to proceed.

 

“Much work remains ahead for the Libyan people.  Libya is trying to build a democracy out of the ashes of a dictatorship and the United States should be a helpful partner in that endeavor.   The decisions made in the coming days about Libya will affect our own national security, and the security of the region, for decades to come.”

 

#####