Washingtonians Watch As Libyan Rebels Advance Through Tripoli

Many in Washington stayed up overnight to watch the continuing reports of Libyan rebels' advancement into the country's capital and what appears to portend the fall of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

In the Northwest D.C. neighborhood of Libya's former ambassador to the United States, things were relatively quite this morning -- a stark difference from the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

Rebels were celebrating after having gained control of a majority of the city, and President Obama issued a statement late last night saying the momentum against Gadhafi had reached "a tipping point.

"The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator," the President said in his statement, issued late Sunday.

In D.C., protesters gathered outside the White House for a boisterous rally that went into the early hours of the morning, according to a National Journal report.

Things were also quiet outside the Watergate building office that houses Libya's embassy this morning. Earlier this year, Libya's former ambassador, Ali Aujali broke with the Gadhafi regime and became head of the rebels' Transitional National Council in the United States.

The U.S. stopped recognizing Gadhafi's embassy in Washington last spring, and a satellite Libyan embassy led by the opposition was set up in the Watergate office building to handle diplomatic affairs. The flag of the TNC began flying at the 2600 Virginia Avenue embassy space just four days ago, perhaps foreshadowing the rebels' successes in Tripoli this weekend.

There was no word on whether the Transitional National Council's office in D.C. would issue a statement today.