The lesson of Gaddafi's fall: if you want to be loved, be loveable

Mostly because the new Libyan government claims that Muammar Gaddafi died in a “cross-fire,” the news agencies have not yet come up with the definitive story of his last moments, but a look at mobile phone footage and various news reports allows us to piece together a reasonable and emotionally satisfying narrative.

It seems Gaddafi had been hiding in a fortified compound in his home city of Sirte. As his last stronghold was about to fall, yesterday morning, he and a few remaining loyalists tried to escape in a convoy, which was promptly bombed by a US predator drone and a French war plane. The former dictator’s car was not hit but the convoy was forced to stop and he ran away, hiding in a drain.

Discovered by rebel forces, he asked, “What is happening?” and begged,