No plans to kill Gaddafi: Barack Obama

Mar 26, 2011 |

IANS/RIA Novosti

Washington

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US President Barack Obama has told the Congress that America has no plans to use its military to assassinate Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, an official said. "It's not our role to do anything at this point from a kinetic point of view," Maryland representative Dutch Ruppersberger, also a member of the house intelligence committee, told the Politico newspaper.

Another source confirmed the account. "It's not just military efforts that can force his removal," the source said. The UN Security Council imposed a no-fly zone over Libya March 17, also permitting "all necessary measures" to protect civilians from Gaddafi's attacks on rebel-held towns.

The operation to enforce the no-fly zone — codenamed "Odyssey Dawn" — is being conducted jointly by 13 states, including the US, Britain and France. Western warplanes have flown more than 300 sorties over the North African country and fired at least 170 Tomahawk missiles in the UN-mandated mission. Libyan state media has reported that dozens of people have been killed in the air strikes.

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