New America Media, News Report, Suzanne Manneh, Posted: Oct 20, 2011

Ed Note: New America Media surveyed Arab media, editors and publishers, across the country for their reactions to the death of Libya’s former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, Thursday. While most agree that Gaddafi’s death is a relief and a possible first step for a new democratic system in Libya, Arab media are unanimously concerned about this North African country's immediate future.

Amal David, Co-Founder, Arab America, Dearborn, Mich.

It’s the end of an era of 42 years of rule. We’re hoping it’s a new beginning for Libya. I got the news from Al -Jazeera English and we were very relieved to know this [Gaddafi was dead], most people have said they’re happy about it. For the Libyan revolution to have closure, this had to happen. It has to be a true democracy. We’ve had an Arab Spring slowly become an Arab Winter, and we’re hoping the winter turns into a spring again. There is still a lot of unknown and we have to be cautious. It’s going to take time. I talked to an Iraqi-American who worked in Iraq the past three years about his opinion whether he thought Iraq has improved with out Saddam. He said it’s worse. He said with Saddam at least there was no ethnic cleansing and internal divisions. Of course that’s not an excuse for him, Saddam was a tyrant, but we don’t want to see this happen in Libya.

Mansour Tadros, Publisher, Future Newspaper, Chicago, Ill.

My main concern is to stop the bloodshed, and as long as he was alive Libya had a problem. His death was a step. I was relieved to see that. His death is very important to the Libyan Spring, but now we need to start building. We are anxious to see our Arab brothers and sisters in Libya and all over the Arab World have better lives. As Arabs, we underestimate our ability to deal with these situations—yes we can adopt democracy and live in democracy. I hope the media coverage cools off, the style of coverage increases the turmoil. Instead, let’s focus on learning and building.

Ahmed Tharwat, Host and Producer, BelAhdan TV, Minneapolis, Minn.

I was checking the Egyptian Newspaper, Al-Masry Al-Youm earlier this morning, I wasn’t sure at first, then I saw it on Al -Jazeera and BBC Arabic. I was expecting it. It was a matter of time. But when I saw Obama’s speech following the news, I was disappointed. He was giving credit to NATO, the West. We underestimated Libya. They’ve turned out being the best so far in these revolutions. It gives us hope that this chapter is over and now this is a message for all Arab dictators. Revolution is a messy business and this is going to be a long and messy situation, they’ll have to start from scratch, but that’s also refreshing. I hope media cover this in context of what’s going on in the Arab World, the whole world—that everyone is waking up. It’s been a lousy year for dictators and that’s a beautiful thing.

Amani Ghouleh, Publisher, AlOffok AlArabi/ The Arabic Horizon Newspaper, Chicago, Ill.

I knew it was going to happen, but it took a long time. I’m relieved that he’s dead, and the community is relieved. I think he got what he deserved and I’m glad it’s over. Other leaders, like Al-Assad, have to consider that there are deadly consequences, just like Gaddafi’s, but I hope with Syria it ends with him stepping down. I hope for Libya this stage turns over and they start building their new nation, not to look back at Gaddafi, his family, not to proceed in agony. I also hope the media focus on the issues that need correcting, what can be improved in Libya, and not on what Gaddafi did in the past. Don’t look back, look forward.

Fatima Atieh, Publisher, Al-Enteshar, Los Angeles, Calif.

It was expected, he was either going to be arrested or get killed, there was no other way around it. We are for the people in the Arab streets, for achieving their rights and dignity. Personally, I’m against all Arab dictators, but I’m also against foreign involvement. I had hoped that the Libyan people would have kept the situation under their control. I expect that there will be tribal wars following his death, as well as strong influence and control from the West, NATO, and the United States.

Antoine Faisal, Publisher, Aramica, Brooklyn, NY

I believe it’s the normal end to an abnormal person. It was just a matter of time. Right now the Arab Spring is trying to propagate the image that we are not people who can be dominated indefinitely, and propagating the image of civilized democracy. A few days ago, I was interviewing people in the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. I asked them if they were influenced by the Arab Spring, and an overwhelming majority said it was the main inspiration. But now [in Libya] there might be vendettas. People could be accused of being Gaddafi supporters and get killed. This has happened in other countries before.