President Obama called on Libyan Leader Muammar Qaddafi to end the bloodshed and give himself up amid reports that fighters for the regime are mounting a last-ditch defense of their swiftly shrinking control of Tripoli.
In an audio statement released Monday afternoon, Obama said Qaddafi has the “opportunity to reduce further bloodshed” by surrendering to NATO-backed opposition forces.
“Although it is clear that Gadhafi’s rule is over, he still has the opportunity to reduce further bloodshed by explicitly relinquishing power to the people of Libya and calling for those forces that continue to fight to lay down their arms for the sake of Libya,” Obama said.
“Over the last several days the situation in Libya has reached a tipping point,” Obama continued. “The people of Tripoli rose up to claim their freedom…Now the celebrations in the streets of Libya show that the pursuit of human dignity is far stronger than any dictator.”
With relative ease, Libyan rebels captured Tripoli Sunday after flooding into the city backed by NATO airstrikes. The dramatic siege of the capital city caps six months of fighting by opposition forces that captured the eastern part of the North African country early on but have struggled to advance westward until recently.
Qaddafi-led forces on Monday controlled just 5 percent of the city but Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s whereabouts remain unknown as his 42-year long hold on power appeared to be crumbling.
Obama lauded the dedication of the Libyan rebels and the NATO-led alliance in slowly gaining control of the country, noting the absence of any U.S. deaths in the months of fighting. The President’s decision to garner international support — including several Arab countries — before launching U.S.-led airstrikes earned him plenty of criticism from members of Congress and would-be GOP presidential contenders at the time, but Monday Obama could celebrate the long-awaited successes of his approach.
“To our friends and allies, the Libyan revolution shows what we can achieve when we stand as one,” Obama said. “And the Arab members of our coalition have stepped up and shown what can happen when we work as equal parties. NATO has once again proven that it is the most formidable alliance in the world.”
“Finally, the Libyan people: your courage and character have been unbreakable in the face of a tyrant…your sacrifices have been extraordinary…the Libya you deserve is within your reach,” he said.
Listen to the audio, below:
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