Obama On Libya: ‘Slipping From the Grasp of a Tyrant’
- Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:34pm by
Christopher Santarelli
- Print »
- Email »
Following a day of dramatic developments in Libya, President Barack Obama said Sunday night that the situation there has reached a “tipping point” and that control of the capital was “slipping from the grasp of a tyrant.” He called on Moammar Gadhafi to accept reality and relinquish power.
“The surest way for the bloodshed to end is simple: Moammar Gadhafi and his regime need to recognize that their rule has come to an end,” Obama said in a statement issued while on vacation in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. “Gadhafi needs to acknowledge the reality that he no longer controls Libya. He needs to relinquish power once and for all.”
Obama issued the statement after conducting a conference call with members of his national security team, who had provided him with updates throughout the day.
He had told reporters earlier Sunday that he would not make a statement “until we have full confirmation of what has happened.”
Libyan rebels who raced into Tripoli on Sunday met little resistance as Gadhafi’s defenders melted away and his 42-year authoritarian rule quickly crumbled. Euphoric fighters celebrated with residents of the capital in Green Square, the symbolic heart of the fading regime. Gadhafi’s whereabouts were unknown, though state TV broadcast his bitter pleas for Libyans to defend his regime.
Opposition fighters captured his son and one-time heir apparent, Seif al-Islam, who along with his father faces charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands. Another son was in contact with rebels about surrendering, the opposition said.
“Tonight, the momentum against the Gadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant,” Obama said in the statement. “The Gadhafi regime is showing signs of collapsing. The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator.”
The United States has joined other countries in recognizing the rebel forces, the Transitional National Council, as the legitimate government in Libya.
Obama called on the rebels “at this pivotal and historic time” to demonstrate the leadership needed to steer the country through a transition by respecting the rights of the Libyan people, avoiding civilian casualties, protecting state institutions and pursuing a transition to democracy that is “just and inclusive” for all of the country’s people.
“A season of conflict must lead to one of peace,” the president said.
Obama said the U.S. would remain in close contact with the TNC and work with its allies and partners around the world to protect the Libyan people and support a peaceful shift to democracy.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were also kept updated throughout the day, officials said.
For the past two days, senior U.S. diplomats have had intensive discussions with the Libyan opposition, and with European and NATO allies, about the evolving situation. Ivo Daalder, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, and Philip Gordon, the top American diplomat for Europe, have been consulting with their counterparts.
Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman, the top American diplomat for the Mideast, returned to Cairo on Sunday after two days in Benghazi, the de facto rebel capital. On Saturday, while in Benghazi, Feltman warned that “the best-case scenario is for Gadhafi to step down now … that’s the best protection for civilians.”
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Feltman’s trip underscored continuing U.S. efforts to encourage the rebels “to maintain broad outreach across all segments of Libyan society and to plan for post-Gadhafi Libya.”
Some U.S. lawmakers rushed to claim a rebel victory in the 6-month-old civil war. Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, wrote on Twitter: “Great wishes of hope for people of Libya. You won the civil war; all the best on winning the peace! Bless Libya’s patriots.”
Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., issued a joint statement calling the end of Gadhafi’s rule “a victory for the Libyan people and for the broader cause of freedom in the Middle East and throughout the world.”
But the GOP senators also criticized Obama’s handling of the uprising. For one thing, Obama had limited U.S. military involvement to carrying out the early rounds of airstrikes before pulling back to a support role and refused to send in U.S. ground troops. McCain has said a stronger showing of U.S. air power could have dramatically shortened the conflict.
“Americans can be proud of the role our country has played … but we regret that this success was so long in coming due to the failure of the United States to employ the full weight of our airpower,” McCain and Graham said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 565 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 392 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 382 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 365 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 324 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 382 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 392 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 324 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 150 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 382 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (108)
pwatkins
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:21amObama holds his head just like Gadhafi when things are going his way like when he passed Obamacare, and when he is down as he is now, they stick his picture in front of the seal with head hung low to gain sympathy from the idiot followers and give a halo effect for purity. Sometimes I wonder if Obama is Gadhafi’s son. The color of skin is the same, the arrogance in the attitude and the way they want to lead, and then there was that letter where he called him son, plus we know his mama did get around(?). I don’t think Farrakann will allow Obama to harm Ghadafi and if they say they killed him I will never believe it. Heck, he could be at Martha’s Vinyard right now instead of Tripoli.
Report Post »touch
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 2:32amNow, if America could only slip the grasp of the (Anti-American Tyrant) Obama!
Report Post »fastfacts
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 6:24amHE HAS TO DEPEND ON THIS ONE MOMENT. IF LIBYA FAILS, SO DOES HIS PRESIDENT…
NEWSFLASH MR. PRESIDENT… You presidency is already a failure, look at our economy. I like how in Martha’s vineyard, Obama went golfing but told all reporters, NO PICTURES. Thanks to Fox News, that info came out and so did some pictures: http://www.americanparchment.com/video/2011/aug/obama_pictures_golf.html
Report Post »chazman
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 6:30amThe OBAMMIES are the ultimate welfare recipient’s. Everything they own has been given to them, and every misfortune they have is someone else’s fault …
-MODEL82-
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 6:40amTouch I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if Obama will accept defeat come 2012, or if he’ll claw and cratch and try to stay in power by all means possible? It can’t be easy to walk away from all that power. I’m reading the book about the Secret Service, and it says that one has to have a very strong character to stay grounded as president because they treat him like an emperor. Every whim is seen to. Is he going to give that up easily?
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 6:50amthe libyans will not like what follows their marvelous revolution.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:05amObama “accept reality and relinquish power.”
Your day is coming buddy and hopefully it won’t be as messy as Libya. I just hope you will recognize that in 2012 you have been voted out you too will “accept reality and relinquish power.” You scare the hell out of me dood.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:45amThe American involvement in the overthrow of this tyrant is, like killing Bin Laden, the drone attacks, yet another trick of President Obama‘s to make some idiots think he’s not really a Muslim. Does he think we’re stupid? He is a dyed in the wool Muslim, and no matter how many terrorists he kills, we‘ll know he’s only playing us for fools. And we’re not fools are we?
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 10:36am@Fast Facts….I believe honestly believe that he and the bilderberg group( headed up by George Soros and of which Bill and Hilary are members.) have orchestrated this entire failure. George is known for taking down governments and changing the entire regime of a country and lining his pockets. We, my fellow Americans…have been had…and this is the first time in our history that we have an “entity” in power that does not stand for Israel. It’s prophetic… and it has and is playing out just as God said it would
Report Post »LadyGOP
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 7:52pmSlipping From the Grasp of a Tyrant
And apprarently into the grasp of SHARIA
Report Post »LinkedIn G
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:20amLiberal trolls frequenst the blaze all the time….to call people names, question religion, or attempt to divide people in other ways. My question is…Do you really think anybody cares about your opinion here except fellow liberal trolls ?
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 6:39amWelcome the trolls with open arms. It keeps the liberl/democrat/progressive/athiest views and ideas fresh in our heads. It gives us the ability to answer them with facts, history, Bible….. You generally never see a lib on here that will stand toe to toe, and debate point for point. They make an outlandish claim, call some names, then run off to another post and do the same. It is the their way.
Just be thankful this is the Blaze, and not huffpo. There the libs make there outlandish claim, and if a conservative beats them up with some actual fact and truth, the moderators step in and delete the conservative comments.
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:08amI have to say, I was wrong about Obama. I thought he would take the week off and not do anything but play golf while our economy implodes.
He has been hard at work granting amnesty to illegals, taking credit for the fall of a dictator (without us even being involved in the war, apparently), ignoring the situation in Israel and not saying a word, and giving plenty of press releases blaming republicans for all of DC’s problems. I wouldn’t be surprised if he needs a vactaion from his vacation when he gets back to DC.
Stage two of the “Barry Loves America More than Ever (B.L.A.M.E.)” bus tour coming to a soon-to-be-bankrupt unionized business near you!
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:50amSpeaking of a tyrant??? Look who’s calling the kettle black. No pun intended!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 2:12amMy first thought also .. TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE. Does this mean the Muslim Brotherhood is now going to be “in charge” of Libya? That WOULD make Obama happy now wouldn’t it!
TEA!
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:43amThe commie should listen to his own advice……step down……I guess it takes a tyrant to know one!
Report Post »Rice Water
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:08amEvery time I think I’ve read the dumbest comment/opinion ever posted, I come to The Blaze and immediately realize just how dumb people can get. Thanks for keeping me grounded, Blaze!
Report Post »shirtsbyeric
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:40amIt’s Arab Spring Break 2011!
Report Post »Akscooch
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:39amObama is working hard to use NATO military forces to install Islamic extremists in all middle east governments. Egypt, Tunisia, now Libya. Next in the crosshairs: Syria.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 2:29amExactly … his “Muslim OUTREACH” summer.
Report Post »264win
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:25am“slipping from the grasp of a tyrant.”
Hopefully in 2012 we the American People (Tax-Payers) will also be slipping from our own tyrant the A.S.S.H.O.L.E i the black house!
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:25amNone of this is good. In the long run those people in Lybia would be better off with Gadhafi and his sons transitioning into power.The US and other western powers will pay a heavy price for this interference. The bible says Lybia will be one of the countries which comes against Israel. All I can say is WTF are we doing with our hands in this mess? The American people nor our Congressional representatives voted to do this. When is this congress going to start impeachment proceedings? Not only is Obama in a world of sh*t come Nov 2012 but everyone in Congress is in the same boat. Impeach now, because we might not make it to 2012. But of course they don’t hear us. If they do they are in a state of denial. Happens whenever we send politicians to Washington DC. Must be something in the water…fluoride or aspertain clogging their brains.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 5:11amRight on spot
Report Post »kindling
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:18amI think we have passed the tipping point with Obama. I have even had illegals come up to me and tell me he is a fraud because of something I have written on my car window about the national debt. If Obama was white he never would have been elected and we would not be in this mess.
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:34amSorry for extending the off subject thread….
In my line of work I have to work with a lot of hispanic people. I have heard the same thing. Most hispanics whether legal or illegal are good moral people from my experience. They just want to work…usually more than the lazy @ss welfare addicted Americanos. Most of them do care about the country and especially their families. I know that may sound offensive to Americans who don’t know this from experience. Most of them tell me Obama is a liar and they don’t trust him. Most of them don’t want amnisty for illegals because it hurts those who are here legally. Ponder that for a while.
Report Post »LinkedIn G
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:35amWouldn’t that be ironic if the dream act gets more votes for conservatives ? That would be poetic justice If I’ve ever seen it.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 6:49amI don’t mind people who want to work. I’m all for revamping the immigration policy to make it easier to get here. But they don’t all work. They come here illegally, work hard under the table, so that their families can get welfare and their 8-10 kids with them. If you can’t obey the laws of the land to get in, what else will you disobey? I was in a 99 Cent store yesterday, with a woman and her 4 kids. Not a word of English. She got a push up out of the freezer for each kid, who proceeded to eat them in the store, then one kid slid a soda bottle into his huge cargo pant pocket. He said “Cha-ching” as he did it. I told the cashier and she did not one thing about it. She was Mexican, too. I never saw the lady go through the line at the cash register, so I thought they probably walked around the store until the push-ups were eaten and then left without paying for any of it. I have a thrift store that picks a color tag and sells it for 99 cents, no matter the original price and another color that’s half off. They buy whole carts full of clothes. You know they’re going to have a yard sale and charge $2 each.
Report Post »Cheetosareus
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:15am” Obama: Libyan people‘s pursuit of dignity and freedom is stronger than dictator’s iron fist”
Take note Obama…your words are going to come back to bite you in the h i n e y. You have been messing with the USA.. Your bad.
Report Post »dirtypolitics
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:12amSo is it going to be an expansion of the power of the Muslim Bros?
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:23amOh Yeah, the Muslim Brotherhood is soooooooo much better than ONE tyrant!! Poor people of Libya!!
Report Post »Cheetosareus
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:10amThat visual..Obama with a halo, is something to manipulate the weak minded democrat base into believing he is their saviour. This is absolutely deceptive advertising. Only Christ, Saints and Angels have halos. Obama really has horns, a pointy tail, and a forked tongue. . . a far cry from any saviour.
Report Post »DTOM_Jericho (Creator vindicator)
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:25amHalos are from pagan mythology and are NOT found anywhere in Scipture.
Report Post »clingingtogodandguns
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:07amThat halo shot makes obummer look like the yellow packman from the 1980′s arcade game.He even sounds like them wacka wacka wacka.Except he has no gahooneys so it would be Mrs. Packman for him.
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:04amIn 2012, America will be ‘Slipping From the Grasp of a Tyrant’…
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 9:22amIf these arab spring uprirngs prove successful Obama’s a shoe in.The worst nightmare for you rabid anti-muslim rightwing american nationalists is a successful overthrow of mid east dictators. What-didn’t God tell these people that human rights only apply to americans and their lackeys? That these uprisings are organic[from the people themselves not from american invasions] only underscores how all these americans who volunteered to go murder muslims in their homelands and were themselves wounded or killed -were wounded or died in vain.The world and its’s people do not belong to you and for all your military might -people will determine for themselves their societies. long live the libyan and all arab uprisings and if they choose islamic brotherhood that is their right and their business[though i don't think they will in libya].You’re clinging to your false narrative because that is your only way to legitimize american domination of arab populations[via proxy dictators or occupations].Reality will outstrip your false self serving narratives. Welcome to the 21st c-of the people ,all people not just the lying dictatorial americans!
Report Post »paperpushermj
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:57pmThinking Obama is praying to what ever God he believes in NO ONE in the Press asks him who is in charge of Libya, now that the US and Nato helped remove Gaddafi.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:48pmthe photo of obama with the deliberate subliminal halo effect of the Presidential Seal is 10000% OFFENSIVE.
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:44pmLibya is a sovereign nation, Qaddafi had nothing to do with 09/11/2001, Libya has no WMD’s, Qaddafi kept order in Libya, no blood for oil, America has no business involving itself in another peoples’ “Civil War”.
Report Post »All hail Obama the Liberator! Gotta love consist ideology of the Left. Lol!
MODEL82A1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:47pm“consistent ideology”
Report Post »LinkedIn G
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:44pmLouis FairyCon wants to know…who the heck does he think he is.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 3:07amThe Grand Poobah
Report Post »Exrepublisheep
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:43pmLove the Halo…
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:43pmCongradulations again Mr President who gloats like a steamed goat; you have allowed the terrorists to seize their own homeland rich in petrol and natural gas — shipped to West Europe which will now either pay inflated petro-dollars for the terrorist activities, or be energy strangled by them until they collapse in the European Summer.
Mr Obama the only thing I guarantee about the “success” you have here is now the weaknesses you are constantly showing to the Arabian nations, friend and declared foe alike, despise you utterly due to the fact of showing weakness and wishy-washy politics.
Former President Bush was despised yes, yet he also was respected grudgingly due to the fact he was willing to make a strong stand and deal decisivly with situations (initial strikes into Afghanistan) even when spetacular blunders were also made (not enough prep work for Iraq, before and after the end of the Saddam Regime).
So again congradulations, you have now officially made former President Carter look good and decisive in comparison to your regime.
Report Post »Steve
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:10amSnowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Report Post »Jordan1 said your stupidity never ceases to amaze him……………Good Job!
BurntHills
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:43pmas a 12th Generation AMERICAN veterans family, we fully support OUR United States Military in a COUP D’ETAT to remove obama from OUR Presidency and removing ALL of his vile communist petty little collaborators along with him.
Report Post »Steve
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:14amDont worry what Jordan1 says. Allot of us would like the communist to be expelled from the WH.
Either Jordan1 is a communist or he wouldn’t know what a communist was if it came up to him and put a bullet in his head. As most communist dictators do.
Report Post »khoregon
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:41pmLooking at the headline, takes one to know one.
Report Post »smith
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:38pmPEOPLE wanted to be FREE! Hope they get it, and Obama should take no credit for it. GOD BLESS! UNITED!
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:47pmyou do not realize then?, their idea of ”democracy” is getting Gadafi out and installing SHARIA LAW and the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD. there is NOTHING “good” about what they have just done and what obama has done in arranging the latest toppling in libya, which WAS a stablizing unit in the Middle East… while we had an actual 100% American President, George W Bush.. gadafi was backed down from the entire ”annihilating’ Israel” hate speech and that section of Africa was moderately stable. obama has knocked down the first few dominos.
it only gets worse from here. .
Report Post »Cheetosareus
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:54pmBurnt..we don’t know what will happen in Libya. How much worse can it be…they hated us to begin with…except for Obama..Kadaffi campaigned for him in “08 and encouraged Arabs everywhere to contribute to his campaign….probably did too although it was illegal. Come to think of it we still haven’t had an accounting of where all the millions of dollars came from.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:05amthese ”rebels”, most of whom are NOT even from libya, made it very clear the Muslim Brotherhood IS on its way IN. they WANT it in. they WANT to be one huge caliphate to DESTROY ISRAEL.
obama the anti-colonial (Europe) and anti-American and anti-semitic of course did everything his master soros told him to — right down the list. the entire middle east must be switched to muslim brotherhood to destablize and beggar EUROPE…
THAT is what this was about — EUROPE gets its fuel from libya. now it is in the hands of the muslim brotherhood.
America should NEVER have been in on it and EUROPE should have defended libya– and its creepy president. –and its oil
obama put our famous military to bombing libya even tho his Chicago mentors farrakhan and wright were telling him NOT to mess with their buddy Moammie.
how many of these newly formed muslim brotherhood militaries will assist US in removing their buddy obama from THIS presidency. NONE. they need him in OUR presidency to keep on flooding our nation with ILLEGALS. .
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:08amonce the muslim brotherhood gets command of the Libya oil production, EUROPE goes down in riots, beheadigs, famine, ghetto, disease and sharia law’s “life in 700 AD” attitude. and as it joins with the other muslim brotherhood nations, ISRAEL goes down from all sides.
Report Post »cromag11b
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:09amBurnt-
Report Post »look up Self Determination or isn’t that allowed for non-christians in your universe?
And Italy gets its fuel from Libya. Most of Europe gets theirs from Russia.
Steve
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:17amcromag11b
Report Post »Look up the Muslim Brotherhood and it’s collaboration with Hitler and the final solution.
Cheetosareus
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:38pmI believe we can all say that about the USA as Obama leaves office in 2013.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:51pmmillions of us actual AMERICANS should be standing outside of the WH screaming for ”COUP D’ETAT, COUP D’ETAT” !!!! where is OUR American Military when WE need them MOST.
Report Post »cromag11b
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 1:06amBunrthills
I’m right here waiting for enough of you chickenhawks to do something stupid. I didn’t like Bush either, but he was my CiC and neither have done anything to warrant even impeachment. Never forget that you guys are a whiny minority and a joke to the rest of the country.
The constant talk of a armed insurgency based on a warped view of America and fairly open ignorance is comical. You all make less sense than the Left did going after Bush.
And do you realize what a military coup leads too? Probably not, but its a Junta.
Report Post »