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President Barack Obama on Wednesday condemned
the violence in Libya as "outrageous ... and unacceptable" and
said he was dispatching Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
to Geneva for international talks aimed at stopping the violence.


      Obama said he was studying a "full range of options" to
pressure Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's regime to halt attacks
against Libyans as violent clashes spread throughout the North
African country. 

He said the options included "actions" -
presumably sanctions among them - that the U.S. could take with its
allies as well as steps it might take by itself.
    


  "We are doing everything we can to protect American citizens,"
Obama said in brief remarks at the White House, his first public
comments after days of violence in Libya. He appeared with Clinton
after the two conferred on the situation at the White House.
     


 "We strongly condemn the use of violence in Libya," Obama
said. "The suffering and bloodshed is outrageous, and it is
unacceptable. So are threats and orders to shoot peaceful
protesters and further punish the people of Libya."
      


He spoke in the wake of uprisings in neighboring Egypt and
Tunisia. The week-old protests in Libya have been met by a far more
brutal response from militiamen loyal to Gadhafi.
      


Obama broke his public silence on the violence after the U.S.
succeeded in beginning evacuations of American citizens from the
chaotic situation.
     


 Earlier, White House spokesman Jay Carney said that Obama
"strongly condemns" the bloodshed in Libya. Carney said that "a
lot of options are under review - sanctions, other options" to end
the fighting.
    


  The president said that Clinton would attend a meeting in Geneva
of the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday. 

"She'll hold
consultations with her counterparts on events throughout the region
and continue to ensure that we join with the international
community to speak with one voice to the government and the people
of Libya."

      Obama also said that Bill Burns, the undersecretary of state for
political affairs, to travel across Europe making stops to talk to
allies about the developments.
     


 Obama had issued a written statement on the situation in Libya
last Friday, but this was the first time he has spoken publicly
about the crisis.

      "We are doing everything we can to protect American citizens,"
Obama said. "That is my highest priority. In Libya, we've urged
our people to leave the country, and the State Department is
assisting those in need of support."
      


"This is not simply a concern of the United States. The whole
world is watching," he said.

Gallery

US, EU both threaten Libya with sanctions

Libyan protesters defiant after Gadhafi speech

Libya: Gadhafi vows to fight on, die a martyr

President Barack Obama on Thursday condemned
the violence in Libya as "outrageous and unacceptable," and said
he was dispatching Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to
Geneva on Monday for international talks aimed at stopping the
violence.

Obama dispatches Clinton for talks on Libya

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