US says libya in danger of collapsing dueto civil war

US says libya in danger of collapsing dueto civil war

Warning that Libya is at the crossroads of peaceful democracy and civil war, the United States has vowed to press leader Col Muammar Gaddafi to quit by squeezing him economically and militarily.

US defence leaders said imposing a no-fly zone over Libya would be "extraordinarily" complex and Nato allies have yet to agree on any military intervention in the crisis.

Col Gaddafi has been fighting a bloody rearguard action against a pro-democracy uprising now in its third week, with at least 1,000 people reported killed and 100,000 people fleeing to neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia.

"In the years ahead, Libya could become a peaceful democracy, or it could face protracted civil war, or it could descend into chaos," US Secretary of State Hillary told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"The stakes are high."

Col Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam said last week that Libya faces civil war and "rivers of blood.

US war ships enters libya through suez canel

The United States said libyacould sink into civil war unless the Libyan leader ends his four-decade rule amid fears that the uprising, the bloodiest yet against long-serving rulers in the Middle East, could cause a humanitarian crisis.

Gaddafi is defiant and his son, Saif al-Islam, has warned the West against launching military action. He said the veteran ruler would not relinquish power or be driven into exile.

Across Libya, tribal leaders, officials, military officers and army units have defected to the rebel cause and say they are becoming more organised. Tripoli is a stronghold for Gaddafi in this oil-producing north African state.

"We are going to keep the pressure on Gaddafi until he steps down and allows the people of Libya to express themselves freely and determine their own future," Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the United Nations, told ABC's "Good Morning America".

Captain Faris Zwei, among officers in the east who joined the opposition to Gaddafi, said there were more than 10,000 volunteers in Ajdabiyah, 500 miles from the capital.

Cameron plan for no-fly zone shunned by world leaders in libya

David Cameron was looking increasingly isolated last night over his call for the international community to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.

The Prime Minister told MPs on Monday that he wanted Britain and its allies to look at enforcing a ban on flights over Libya to put pressure on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, meaning British forces would have to commit to shooting down any Libyan aircraft that breached the zone.

Other countries were lukewarm about Mr Cameron’s call, with Russia opposing it outright and France publicly questioning the wisdom of it.

The US distanced itself from the plan, while Turkey said Nato intervention in the north African country would be “unthinkable”.

Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said a no-fly zone was “superfluous” and that world powers must focus on fully using United Nations sanctions. Russia’s consent is required for any backing from the UN because it is a veto-holding member of the Security Council.

Laurent Wauquiez, France’s minister for European affairs, said: “How would it be perceived? Would it not be turned back against us, with people saying: 'The West is attacking because Libya has oil?’