'Gaddafi will go – that is not a matter of if, but when. And time is not on his side. When he goes, it will be for the National Transitional Council to manage that transition, and it will be for the international community to support them.'<blockquote>'Indeed, the NTC has a great responsibility for the present and the future: a responsibility that Libya’s transition to democracy and freedom is smooth and inclusive; that the country stays united; and that the future is founded not on violence and reprisals, but on peace and reconciliation.
Gaddafi will go – that is not a matter of if, but when. And time is not on his side. When he goes, it will be for the National Transitional Council to manage that transition, and it will be for the international community to support them. I do not envisage NATO playing a leading role in that process. That is for the United Nations. But if required, we could provide support. Many of our Allies have experience and expertise in the transformation from dictatorship to democracy, and in the reform of the security sector after their own revolutions. We can share that experience with the Libyan people, and the other nations that have bravely risen in the Arab Spring.
The future of Libya belongs to the Libyan people. The path towards it is not an easy one, but you are not alone. NATO is fulfilling its mandate to protect you against attacks. The international community is supporting you in your endeavours for a genuine transition. And we all look forward to seeing the creation of a new Libya – a country which is free, just, and at peace.'
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
“The will of the many, not the whims of a few” 22 Jul 2011</blockquote>