Obama says Kadhafi must ‘leave now’: White House

AFP
Feb 27, 2011

President Barack Obama said Saturday that Libya’s leader Moamer Kadhafi needs to “leave now,” having lost the legitimacy to rule, a White House statement said.

Obama took the position — his most direct yet — in a telephone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to coordinate efforts in response to the crisis in Libya, the statement said.

“The president stated that when a leader?s only means of staying in power is to use mass violence against his own people, he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now,” it said.

Obama’s call for Kadhafi’s departure came as the Libyan leader hunkered down in Tripoli for what many feared would be a bloody showdown with rebels that have taken control of large areas of the oil-rich North African country.

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