Obama says "Gaddafi needs to go"

Mar 21, 2011, 20:14 GMT

Washington/Santiago - The United States believes that Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi 'needs to go' even though he is not the target of coalition military operations enforcing a no-fly zone over the country, US President Barack Obama said Monday.

'It is US policy that Gaddafi needs to go,' Obama said while visiting in Santiago, Chile. 'And we've got a wide range of tools in addition to our military efforts to support that policy.'

The UN Security Council authorized an international coalition last week to set up a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians from Gaddafi's counteroffensive against rebels. Senior US military officers have said the mandate does not authorize the use of force to remove Gaddafi from power or to provide military support to the rebels.

Obama has called on Gaddafi to end his 42-year rule since the uprising against his regime in February, saying he has lost the legitimacy to lead. The US and other countries have sought to pressure Gaddafi by enacting sanctions on his government and isolating him internationally.

'There are a whole range of policies that we are putting in place that has created one of the most powerful international consensuses around the isolation of Mr. Gaddafi,' he said. 'And we will continue to pursue those.'

'But when it comes to our military action, we are doing so in support of (the UN Security Council resolution) that specifically talks about humanitarian efforts, and we are going to make sure that we stick to that mandate,' Obama added.

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