In his 2 p.m. statement this afternoon, the president confirmed the apparent downfall of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, calling it a success, but not the ultimate victory in Libya.

“Over the last several days, the situation in Libya has reached a tipping point,” the president said. “For [more than] four decades, the Libyan people had lived under a tyrant who denied them their most basic human rights. [The rebels have shown] the pursuit of human dignity is far stronger than any human dictator. … I want to emphasize that this is not over yet. It’s clear Qaddafi’s rule is over, but he still has the opportunity to reduce future bloodshed by explicitly returning power to the people of Libya.”

The president emphasized the need for an effective transition — a transition he claimed the rebel government in Libya (the National Transitional Council) and NATO forces have long been preparing for.

“As we move forward from this pivotal phase, the opposition should continue to take steps to bring about a transition that is peaceful, inclusive and just,” he said. “The rights of all Libyans must be respected. True justice won’t come from reprisals and violence. True justice will come from a reconciliation that allows Libyans to choose their own destiny.”

The president didn’t explain exactly how the transition is to be accomplished, but said the United States commits itself to help the Libyans in whatever way possible without putting troops on the ground. That will certainly entail humanitarian aid and, also likely, a dedicated U.N. general assembly to determine ways to help the effort.

But Obama didn’t miss the chance to tout all that has already happened in the mission he originally said would last days, not weeks, but which has stretched from April through the summer months.

“We should recognize the extraordinary work that has already been done,” he said. “All of this was done without putting a single American troop on the ground [and] illustrates what the international regime can achieve when they stand as one. NATO has once again proven that it is the most capable coalition in the world.”