Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) issued the following statement in response to the death of Moamar Qadaffi in Libya today.  Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“With the death of Moamar Qadaffi, it is time for Libyans to get on with the difficult job of setting up a functioning government and rebuilding their country.  The United States and our European allies should help the transitional authorities in Libya as they establish democratic institutions, but we must also caution that they contain radical elements.  It is my hope that a democratically-chosen government in Libya will promote the freedom and prosperity of its citizens and will quickly discard the extremist agenda of Qadaffi who spent more time propping up dictators in Africa, vilifying Israel, and blowing up civilian airliners than bettering his own country.”

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