Gadaffi captured

[Atticus]

according to Reuters.

[Bluerevolution]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2011/oct/20/syria-libya-middle-east-unrest-live?CMP=twt_gu

[ratty]

Dead according to Reuters and the NTC

[the-e-dealer]

They couldnt afford to capture him alive.

[nashoi]

Whose "they" and why not?

[the-e-dealer]

The establishment, Deals Done in the past between Governments and individuals. Plus Intelligence Gadaffi will have that he can reveal.

[KidKruger]

He was a naughty man.

[the-e-dealer]

A very Naughty Man!

[nashoi]

The same establishment that was happy to see Saddam Hussein and Hosni Mubarak go on trial or a different establishment with even darker secrets and better trained ninjas?

[the-e-dealer]

Yes except that they killed Saddam before many trials were complete and they learnt their lesson with Bin Laden.

[Annette Curtain]

There's a clip on the BBC website of him ( alive ) after he was captured from a drain.

Yep, "captured from a drain"

Blimey, not very glamourous really, eh.

Apparently they shot him for trying to escape

Nette:-S

[Atticus]

BBC's opening salvo at 10 tonight, Gadaffi found 'cowering' 'humiliated'.

Such emotive language is tantamount to propaganda. Yes, he was evil and his demise is something to be celebrated but let's remain objective, at least.

[maxxi]

unless he was, er, cowering... and, as a former dictator now hiding in a sewer pipe, er, humiliated.

[Atticus]

Yep and how substantial are these claims 6 hours later? The story of his demise has already had many different interpretations. Just say he is dead for now, no need for western vitriolic tabloid reportage. Isn't that would they would do?

[maxxi]

Vitriolic? Hardly. You say he was evil but resent the BBC's tone because it might be a tad uncomplimentary?

Quite right, maybe they should have said the noble leader stood proud to the last. Defying the west he emerged from his environment-friendly, bijou palace with a wry smile, a final cigarette dangling rakishly from his voluptuous lips.

What a guy!

Ok?

[Atticus]

No, this isn't Blackadder, Max. No need for stiff upper lip. Let the facts out, before you vault the bandwagon and come out with a much wanted conclusion, do you rejoice in images of a cowering Gadaffi dead if not actual fact?

[Huguenot]

Oh dear this is silly.

Have we really got people on this thread claiming the 'establishment' had him killed, and conspiracy theorists suggesting that it's a ruse?

And toasters are magic, and gravity is a theory?

Sure. It's possible that it's a ruse - but we base our interpretations on 'balance of probability'.

Enter UDT, stage left, with a woo woo comment.

[Frankito]

My toaster is magic...!

[Alan Medic]

I suppose the next step is the West will have to go in and help them become civilised like us.

[the-e-dealer]

So Naive he was captured alive we have seen the video, then Executed.

[silverfox]

I can't help feeling a little sorry for the way he met such a grisly end. Those pictues don't do his captors any credit.

[northlondoner]

No Maxxi I think the objection to the BBCs tone is it's unthinking parroting of the NTCs version of events. Lets not kid ourselves ... These don't look much like western style democrats to me. Deeply uneasy about NATOs role in all this ... Especially this gruesome denouement . I am not against regime change per se. But if you're gonna have the balls to do it, at least have the balls to say thats what you're doing. Hiding behind the fig leaf of "protecting civilians" just makes you look dickish. This feels different from our (belated) but much needed intervention in the Balkans ...of which I think we should be proud.

[karter]

I should have put money on this that he would be done by October this year, it was clear that it would take a while. Skynews always gets there first and captures great footage even though it was not pretty. Especially what appears to be a bullet to the head.

[the-e-dealer]

Sky News always gets where first?

[karter]

you know, on site.