The dictator's legacy is a broken country with no political parties, no tradition of civil rights and democracy an idea without roots

Muammar Gaddafi, who dominated Libya with merciless single-mindedness for 42 years, was a liar, a murderer and a cheat. But in one respect, at least, he stayed true to his word. When the Libyan uprising began in February and led swiftly to Nato's military intervention, Gaddafi vowed to fight to the death.