Washington – President Obama has authorized $15 million more in humanitarian aid to non-governmental organizations on the ground in Libya. Speaking to reporters at the White House this morning, Obama said he wanted to “send a message” to officials surrounding Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi that “it’s their choice to make” and that they will be held responsible for their actions. The violent attacks against Qaddafi opponents, he added, are “unacceptable.”
Obama warned that military options are on the table. “I want to send a very clear message to those who are around Colonel Qaddafi: It is their choice to make how they operate moving forward,” he said. “And they will be held accountable for whatever violence continues to take place.”
The United States, he concluded, sends a “very clear message to the Libyan people that we will stand with them in the face of unwarranted violence and the continuing suppression of democratic ideals that we’ve seen there.”
UPDATE: At a press conference this afternoon, White House spokesman Jay Carney reiterated Obama’s message but emphasized that sending ground troops is “not at the top of the list at this point.” A no-fly zone is more likely, he said, at least in the near future. “We are being very careful about how we go about this process.”