After acknowleding that Libya has used warplanes in its battle with opposition forces in eastern Libya,US President Barack Obama asked Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to leave office immediately as he has lost legitimacy and ordered the use of US military aircrafts for humanitarian purposes in Libya.Barack Obama insisted he was considering every intervention
option in Libya, including military might, along with America's allies.
On the other hand Arab states are reluctant over the latest order by Obama to intervene militarily as they believe that it could fuel extremism.They have witnessed US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and subsequent occupation.
There are fears that the current revolt in Libya may crumble into a civil war and then into Islamism .
Due to the fierce fighting in Libya, Oil which is country's major source of revenue is hovering at USD 102 a barrel .Libyan opposition controls large swathes of eastern and western Libya including the key eastern city of Benghazi and key oil installations.
The oil town of Brega ,the country's oil heartland is controlled by the opposition rebels and the Libyan air force is conducting air raids to recover the town from them .
The eastern city of Brega has the highest reserves of oil(nearly 75%) and Gaddafi will fight to get the control of the oil rich Brega and Adjadbiya as he thinks if that will help him get the American assistance.
Barack Obama said that "I have approved the use of US military aircraft to help move Egyptians who have fled to the Tunisian border to get back home to Egypt."
He also applauded the governments of Tunisia and Egypt for their response of pursuing their own political transitions.
Obama has authorized USAID to charter additional civilian aircraft to help people from other countries find their way home.
On engaging militarily ,Obama said he has instructed the Department of Defense, and the State Department to examine is full range of options keeping in mind the interests of Libyan people and to minimise the harm to innocent civilians.
Meanwhile ,Barack Obama has signed an executive order freezing the assets worth USD 32 billion of the Libyan regime and its leader Muammer Gaddafi.The order directed to freeze the assets of Gadhafi
and four of his children, as well as the assets of Libyan government and its agencies, including the central bank and Libyan Investment Authority -- the nation's sovereign wealth fund.
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