Libyan rebels swarmed into the highly symbolic Green Square at the heart of Tripoli early Monday, merely two days after they launched an offensive against the capital in the final push against Colonel Muammar Gadhafi's government.

The obviously minuscule resistance put on by pro-Gadhafi forces marked a sharp contrast with the muscular defiance put up by their embattled leader, who had repeatedly and passionately urged his followers to fight till the end.

The suprise advance by the rebels was a logical outcome of the overall dynamics in and beyond Libya, which had seen the rebels reap more and more gains on both the battleground and the diplomatic front and the government crunch along under increasing pressure. 

Here in China, while some applauded the news and welcomed the removal of yet another dictator, others said it is only the people who have to suffer the most and warned China against such instability.

@Shiniankanchai

Author and commentator on current affairs

Gaddafi's fate shows us once again: In a system without democracy, a hero will become a tyrant after taking power and end up being a clown or a tragedy. 

@Wujiaxiang

Scholar and commentator on current affairs

Congratulations to Libyan rebels' capture of Tripoli. It marks a new page of world history and means another stain wiped from the political map. Dictatorship has made contributions in mankind's history, but now, it is no more than a disgrace of human race.

@Taoduanfang

Commentator on current affairs

In his forty years in office, Gaddafi has made all the mistakes he can possibly make and has offended almost the whole world. Dictators are always lonely, but Gaddafi amazes us by offending every single other dictator "near, far, wherever they are." Troubled times make it easier to manage the people because they are easily satiable, which serves as a great opportunity for Libyan opposition.

@Wuzuolai

Scholar

I want to praise the Red Cross Society of China for their humanitarian aid. In this time of war, it is great for them to offer help across regardless of different political persuasions. It is unfair to say that they are intervening in other nations' internal affairs or to even accuse them of supporting the overturn of Libyan government. Let's just say that they have their own values, they are with the Libyan people and they are just trying to save more lives. Well done, Red Cross Society! 

@Zhanghouqi

Vice president of China Asset Management Co., Ltd.

From Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, to today's flaming Libya, these wars led by the US and its NATO partners really opened the eyes of the whole world. Have they restored these countries to the expected "civilized" state after their leaders were executed? Have the people in these countries become happier? Can these countries still remain sovereign states any longer? "The weak suffer what they must." These countries are living examples that China should do its utmost to maintain stability. 

Although it remains unclear where Gadhafi is now and how he is going to react, there is no doubt that the rebels' advance into Tripoli has tipped the war heavily in their favor.

As Libya heads for a post-Gadhafi era, however, the troubled North African country faces a host of daunting rehabilitation challenges, given its acute political pains and socioeconomic woes. The most pressing question is who can fill the power vacuum and lead the severely scathed country in postwar reconstruction and put the life of the over 6.4 million Libyans back on track.

Despite the pledge by the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council (NTC), the primary rebel group, to organize a general election and transform Libya into a democratic country, many fear that the country of numerous tribes and factions might be reduced to another Somalia.