In recent days, Moammar Gadhafi has grown to understand that he has not only lost the battle for Libya but also lost the battle for Tripoli. Holed up at the Bab Al-Aziziya compound, the longest-serving ruler in the Arab world (his regime lasted 42 years) appeared exactly as Hitler did in his bunker in April 1945. For both of these dictators, the nation represented them. Hitler knew the gallows awaited him, and committed suicide. Gadhafi, meanwhile, like the rest of us, saw the images of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak caged during his trial on television. Gadhafi had to fight for his life. There aren't too many options for totalitarian leaders such as these: It's all or nothing. The year 1969 was an eventful one. The Boeing 747 made its first flight; Golda Meir became the first woman to serve as Israel's prime minister; Richard Nixon and Georges Pompidou came to power in Washington and Paris, respectively. That same year, John Lennon and Yoko Ono posed in bed opposite the camera; the Beatles performed their last show; and throngs of revelers celebrated at Woodstock. That same year, by the way, Gadhafi took power in Libya. Gadhafi knew how to adapt to changing trends, and not just when it came to fashion. When pan-Arabism was popular, Gadhafi sought to unite with Egypt and Syria to create a united Arab state (in 1972) and later to join forces with Tunisia (in 1974). When the Palestinians began to export terrorism throughout the world, Gadhafi was there to help them. Gadhafi did not pass up any opportunities, not even an attempt to obtain nuclear weapons. And he never lacked money. Yet Gadhafi also understood that the world was changing. He was the first Arab leader to condemn the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. In December 2003, in the wake of the war in Iraq, he signed an agreement with the U.S. and Great Britain to voluntarily renounce his quest for nuclear weapons. To his credit, Gadhafi also understood the threat that the Arab Spring posed to his regime, and was the only Arab leader to defend Tunisia's former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Gadhafi's Libya was quite similar to the one that preceded his rule. During the time of King Idris as-Senussi, Libya was a land without a people, just as it is today. Institutions at that time were as weak and ineffective as today, and Libyan citizens were loyal, above all, to their families and tribes, just as they are today. So what now? The first step is to maintain peace in a country that has had no alternative government for more than four decades. Fundamentalist Islam lurks around the corner, and could bring with it calls for revenge and bloodbaths. It could also very well be that those who helped topple Gadhafi may soon miss him. The rebels' unity is no less fragile than the rule of Arab leaders. Either way, this marks the end of an era. Ben Ali, Mubarak and now Gadhafi, who have accompanied us for so many years, have left the stage. Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh fled to Saudi Arabia, and Bashar Assad is also struggling to stay in power. Who would have thought this day would come- The year 2011 will be remembered as a crazy one in the Arab world. It will be remembered as the year that the idea of democracy sprang to life in the Arab world, even if its chances of success are minimal. It will also be remembered as the year Osama bin Laden disappeared precisely while fears grow over increased Islamization in the Arab world following the fall of these regimes. The year 2011 will also be remembered as the one in which NATO maintained its ability to win a far-flung war, something formerly done by the British Empire, mostly when there were oil wells involved. Yet 2011 will also be remembered as the year that the U.S., led by President Barack Obama, trailed behind the world, instead of leading it, as we have grown accustomed to over the years. There is a new world order - but not one that is dictated by Washington. Instead, it is dictated by Tahrir Square in Cairo and Green Square in Tripoli.
