U.S. fulfilled pledge in Libya, Obama says

WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- The United States has done what it said it would do in Libya, but its work is not complete, President Barack Obama told the American people Monday.

Speaking at the National Defense University in Washington, Obama began by saying he wanted to update the American people on the U.S.-led international effort in Libya, where an uprising against strongman Moammar Gadhafi has developed into a civil war between rebels and Gadhafi supporters, "what we have done, what we plan to do, and why this matters to us."

"I said that America's role would be limited; that we would not put ground troops into Libya; that we would focus our unique capabilities on the front end of the operation, and that we would transfer responsibility to our allies and partners. Tonight, we are fulfilling that pledge," Obama said in a speech at the university at the U.S. Army's Fort McNair. "That is not to say that our work is complete."

NATO, which took over military oversight Sunday, also will take over protecting civilians and will undertake that responsibility on Wednesday, while the United States plays a lesser role, Obama said.

Besides fulfilling its responsibility to NATO, which is running the allied operation to enforce a no-fly zone and protect Libyan citizens from Gadhafi, The United States will work with the international community to provide humanitarian and medical aid.

"We will safeguard the more than $33 billion that was frozen from the Gadhafi regime so that it is available to rebuild Libya," Obama said. "After all, this money does not belong to Gadhafi or to us -- it belongs to the Libyan people, and we will make sure they receive it."

When Gadhafi said he would show "no mercy" to his people, the world had to act, Obama said.

"Tonight, I can report we have stopped Gadhafi's advance," Obama said, rattling off members of the military and humanitarian coalition working together.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will go to London to meet with Libyan opposition leaders and more than 30 of her diplomatic peers, Obama said, focusing on what kind of "political effort is necessary to pressure Gadhafi while also supporting a transition to the future that the Libyan people deserve."

"Because while our military mission is narrowly focused on saving lives, we continue to pursue the broader goal of a Libya that belongs not to a dictator, but to its people," the president said.

Responding to skepticism about the U.S. effort in Libya, Obama said until Gadhafi steps down, "Libya will remain dangerous."

Transitioning to a legitimate government after 40 years of Gadhafi's rule "will be a difficult task," he said. "And while the United States will do our part to help, it will be a task for the international community, and -- more importantly -- a task for the Libyan people themselves."

Arguments heard from Washington have put forward "a false choice" concerning Libya, Obama said, because some critics questioned why America should intervene, even in limited ways, because, among other things, "America should not be expected to police the world, particularly when we have so many pressing concerns here at home."

The United States cannot always use its military strength wherever repression, the president said.

"But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what's right," Obama said. "In this particular country -- Libya, at this particular moment, we were faced with the prospect of violence on a horrific scale."

Ignoring America's responsibilities in leadership and humanitarian issues "would have been a betrayal of who we are," Obama said.

"And as president, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action," Obama said.

There are several strategic interest in preventing Gadhafi from overrunning his opponents, including the flight of Libyans into other countries and the "democratic impulses that are dawning" being eclipsed by dictatorships and repressive leaders, he said.

"So while I will never minimize the costs involved in military action, I am convinced that a failure to act in Libya would have carried a far greater price for America," Obama said.

Libya and the world "will be better off with Gadhafi out of power," Obama said, but to oust Gadhafi militarily would see the coalition splinter, he said.

"We would likely have to put U.S. troops on the ground, or risk killing many civilians from the air," Obama said. "The dangers faced by our men and women in uniform would be far greater. So would the costs, and our share of the responsibility for what comes next."

"To be blunt, we went down that road in Iraq," he said, noting that he and other world leaders have embraced the removal of Gadhafi through non-military means.

Obama also spoke of the use of U.S. military power and global leadership under his presidency.

As commander in chief, Obama said he has no greater responsibility than to keep America safe, making it clear he wouldn't hesitate to deploy the U.S. military when necessary to defend "our people, our homeland, our allies, and our core interests."

Sometimes, though, the country's safety isn't directly threatened "but our interests and values are," Obama said. "These may not be America's problems alone, but they are important to us, and they are problems worth solving. And in these circumstances, we know that the United States, as the world's most powerful nation, will often be called upon to help."

America should not be afraid to act, but that burden shouldn't be borne by the United States alone, he said.

"As we have in Libya, our task is instead to mobilize the international community for collective action," Obama said. "Real leadership creates the conditions and coalitions for others to step up," working with allies and partners, sharing the costs and burden "to see that the principles of justice and human dignity are upheld by all."

Obama said he believed the movement of change sweeping over northern Africa and the Middle East – while it would be rocky and uneven – can't be held back.

"The United States will not be able to dictate the pace and scope of this change," Obama said. "Only the people of the region can do that. But we can make a difference."

Because the United States was born from a revolution, "we welcome the fact that history is on the move in the Middle East and North Africa, and that young people are leading the way. Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States."