Allies to NATO: No Leaving Libya Until Gadhafi Is Out

NATO’s mission in Libya must continue as long as Moammar Gadhafi holds power, President Obama and the leaders of France and Britain say. “So long as Gadhafi is in power, NATO must maintain its operations so that civilians remain protected and the pressure on the regime builds,” the leaders write in a column to appear in top European newspapers. “It is unthinkable that someone who has tried to massacre his own people can play a part in their future government.”

It’s the clearest link Obama has made thus far between the military effort and a Gadhafi ouster, the Wall Street Journal notes. Meanwhile, facing deadlock in Libya, NATO officials met yesterday in Berlin, where Hillary Clinton urged a focus on the government’s siege of Misrata. Yesterday, 20 were killed as Gadhafi troops shelled the port that is residents’ only way out of the city. Citing concerns about “atrocities,” Clinton said “we are taking actions to respond, and those responsible will be held accountable.” (More Moammar Gadhafi stories.)