World News Today: Clinton: Libya may face civil war

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Clinton: Libya may face civil war

Mrs Clinton said Col Gaddafi "must go now, without further violence or delay"

Libya could become a peaceful democracy or face years of civil war, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has told Congressional lawmakers.

Mrs Clinton appeared on Capitol Hill to urge Congress not to cut funds needed to deal with crises abroad.

The comments came a day after the US began repositioning warships and military aircraft in the Libya region.

Mrs Clinton repeated demands that Col Muammar Gaddafi "must go now, without further violence or delay".

"The entire [Middle East] region is changing, and a strong and strategic American response will be essential, Mrs Clinton said to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee in prepared testimony.

"In the years ahead, Libya could become a peaceful democracy, or it could face protracted civil war. The stakes are high.

"And this is an unfolding example of how we use the combined assets of diplomacy, development and defence to protect our interests and advance our values.

She added that the US was working to translate the "world's outrage into action and results".

Meanwhile, the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, told reporters in Washington the US would continue to place pressure on Col Gaddafi until he steps down, while working to stabilise oil prices and avert a possible humanitarian crisis.

"We are going to keep the pressure on Gaddafi until he steps down and allows the people of Libya to express themselves freely and determine their own future," Ms Rice told US media.

Mrs Clinton has said implementing a no-fly zone in Libya was still being considered by the US, although she acknowledged there would be drawbacks with such a move.

Speaking in front of a separate panel on Tuesday, General James Mattis, a top US military commander in the Middle East, said the military would have to destroy Libyan air defences in order to establish a no-fly zone in the country.

Gen Mattis added that a no-fly zone would deter Col Gaddafi's regime from bombing demonstrators as they protest against the government.

If such measures were taken, US commanders could turn to the USS Enterprise, currently in the Red Sea, as well as the amphibious ship the USS Kearsarge, which has a fleet of helicopters and about 2,000 Marines aboard.

Meanwhile, Col Gaddafi has played down protests in the country and insisted that all his people love him. His comments came amid reports that he is attempting to regain control of rebel areas in western Libya.

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