White House: Libyan defection a 'significant blow'

The United States said on Thursday that the defection of Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa had delivered a "significant blow" to the country's leader Muammar Gaddafi, and showed his regime was crumbling.

"Moussa Koussa is one of Gaddafi's most trusted aides who can help provide critical intelligence about Gaddafi's current state of mind and military plans," said White House National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor. "This is a major defection and a significant blow to the Gaddafi regime." (Reuters)