Gaddafi’s departure from Libya inevitable, Obama says

Reuters - Muammar Gaddafi will inevitably leave power, U.S. President Barack Obama said, as NATO intensified its weeks-long bombing of government targets and said on Friday it had sunk eight Libyan warships.

Obama was speaking in an address on the Middle East where a series of uprisings this year governments in Tunisia and Egypt, and inspired a three-month-old revolt in Libya that aims to overthrow Gaddafi.

“Time is working against Gaddafi. He does not have control over his country. The opposition has organised a legitimate and credible Interim Council,” Obama said in Washington on Thursday.

“When Gaddafi inevitably leaves or is forced from power, decades of provocation will come to an end and the transition to a democratic Libya can proceed,” he said, defending his decision to take military action against the Libyan leader’s government.

His comments echoed NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen who said military and political pressure were weakening Gaddafi and would eventually topple him.

The Libyan leader remained defiant.

“Obama is still delusional,” Libyan government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said. “He believes the lies that his own government and media spread around the world ... It’s not Obama who decides whether Muammar Gaddafi leaves Libya or not. It’s the Libyan people.”

Acting under a U.N. mandate, NATO allies including France, Britain and the United States are conducting air strikes that aim to stop Gaddafi using military force against civilians.

NATO aircraft sank the eight warships in overnight attacks on the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte, the alliance said in a statement.

“Given the escalating use of naval assets, NATO had no choice but to take decisive action to protect the civilian population of Libya and NATO forces at sea,” said Rear-Admiral Russell Harding, deputy commander of NATO’s Libyan mission.

Libyan officials took journalists to Tripoli port where a small ship spewed smoke and flames, and cast doubt on whether boats targeted by NATO had been involved in fighting.

Mohammad Ahmad Rashed, general manager of Tripoli’s port, said six boats had been hit by missiles.