Counteroffensive. Gaddafi
Photo: Reuters
Obama, Danish leader: Gaddafi must go
At White House, US president says Libyan leader 'lost legitimacy,' while Rasmussen condemns 'violent repression' of Libyan people
President Barack Obama and Denmark's prime minister said Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi should leave, but said little about how to make it happen.
"He should be history," Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.
Ynet Special
Ron Ben-Yishai
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They spoke on a day that Gaddafi's jets bombed Libyan rebels on in a counteroffensive that has pushed them back 100 miles (160 km) in a week, far outpacing diplomatic efforts to impose a no-fly zone to help the rebels.
Diplomats are debating whether to launch a no-fly zone over Libya, an idea backed by France but opposed by Turkey.
"We both share the view that Mr. Gaddafi has lost legitimacy and he needs to leave, and that we as an international community have to speak firmly against any violence that's directed at civilians," Obama said in an Oval Office picture-taking session with Rasmussen.
Obama has so far rebuffed pressure by some US lawmakers to back a no-fly zone and said it was important to look at a wide range of options to apply more pressure to Gaddafi.
He said this will require close coordination with NATO allies as well as the United Nations, "to look at every single option that's available to us in bringing about a better outcome for the Libyan people."
Rasmussen condemned "the violent repression" of the Libyan people and also stressed the need to look at all options.
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