WASHINGTON – US Persident Barack Obama has called on Moamer Gaddafi to “leave now,” declaring that the Libyan leader had lost his right to rule after attacking his own people to put down a popular uprising. Obama’s most direct demand yet that Gaddafi step down was made in a telephone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to coordinate their response to the crisis, the White House said.
“The president stated that when a leader’s only means of staying in power is to use mass violence against his own people, he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now,” it said.
