Anti-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi protesters, hold a sign during a protest following Friday prayers at Court Square, in Benghazi, eastern Libya, Friday March 11, 2011. French President Nicolas Sarkozy faced increasing pressure from fellow leaders Friday who complained he was out of line to suddenly give a Libyan opposition group diplomatic recognition. Rebels held out Friday in part of a strategic oil port after fierce fighting with Moammar Gadhafi loyalists waging a heavy counteroffensive trying to push the opposition further east away from the capital. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama said Friday that a no-fly zone over Libya to keep Col. Moammar Gadhafi from attacking rebels remains a possibility as “we are slowly tightening the noose” around the Libyan leader. But he stopped short of moving toward military action.
“The bottom line is: I have not taken any actions off the table at this point,” Obama told a White House news conference.
He cited actions already taken, including new sanctions and the freezing of tens billions of dollars of Gadhafi’s assets.
‘It is in the United States’ interest, and in the interests of the people of Libya that Gadhafi leave,” Obama said. “We’re going to take a wide range of actions” to try to accomplish that goal, he added.
Obama said he wanted to make it clear to the longtime Libyan leaders “that the world is watching” his brutal response to the rebellions in his country.