Obama Defends Libya Intervention, Says 'Tyrant' Gadhafi Must Go

President Barack Obama on Monday addressed the nation to explain why the United States has taken military action in Libya as its leader, Moammar Gadhafi, violently fights back against protesters.

On why action has been taken now:

"Ten days ago, having tried to end the violence without using force, the international community offered Gadhafi a final chance to stop his campaign of killing or face the consequences. Rather than stand down, his forces continued their advance," Obama said.

"We knew that if we waited one more day, Benghazi—a city nearly the size of Charlotte—could suffer a massacre that could've reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world."

On what Gadhafi has done:

"He has denied his people freedom, exploited their wealth, murdered opponents at home and abroad and terrorized innocent people around the world, including Americans who were killed by Libyan agents," Obama said.

"Supplies of food and fuel were choked off, water for hundreds of thousands of people in Misurata was shut off. Cities and towns were shelled, mosques were destroyed and apartment buildings reduced to rubble.

"In the past, we had seen him hang citizens in the streets and kill over 1,000 people in a single day."

On why Gadhafi must step down:

"I made it clear that Gadhafi had lost the confidence of his people, and the legitimacy to lead and I said that he needed to step down from power," Obama said.

"There is no question that Libya and the world would be better off with Gadhafi out of power."

On what's at stake for the United States in Libya's conflict:

"I am convinced that a failure to act in Libya would have created a far greater price for America," Obama said. "As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than keeping this country safe."

"There are times, though, when our safety is not directly threatened but our interests and our values are. ...In such cases, we should not be afraid to act, but the burden of action should not be America's alone."

On what's next for the United States:

"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," Obama said.

"Even after Gadhafi does leave power, 40 years of tyranny has left Libya fractured and without strong civil institutions. The transition to a legitimate government will be a difficult task. While the United States will do our part to help, it will be a task for the international community."

Obama also said that NATO will take over enforcement of the no-fly zone in Libya starting Wednesday. Afterward, the U.S. will play a supporting role. It has cost the United States nearly a trillion dollars and thousands of lives to help Iraq overthrow Saddam Hussein, but that is not a cost Americans can afford to pay in Libya, Obama said.