“The American people stand behind the people of Libya as they bring an end to Moammar Qaddafi’s regime of murder and oppression. I commend the President for his leadership, and the members of our armed forces, NATO, and our allies for protecting the Libyan people as they pursue their right to freedom, to self-governance, and to see this ruthless dictator brought to justice. The situation in Libya is still fluid, and the potential for violence is not over. But as we approach a post-Qaddafi era, the international community will look to the leaders of the opposition to implement a peaceful transition to democracy. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress, President Obama and our allies to encourage that process.”

“I support the actions taken today by our allies, with the support of several Arab countries, to prevent the tyrant Moammar Qaddafi from perpetrating further atrocities on the people of Libya. And I support the President’s decision to deploy U.S. assets to help those allies to enforce a no-fly zone to protect Libyan civilians as laid out in the United Nations resolution. This U.S. military action was not taken lightly, and it was done in concert with a broad international coalition. Yesterday the President presented Qaddafi with the option of pursuing an immediate cease fire and other actions, and outlined the consequences if he refused. Qaddafi rejected the offer, and continued to launch attacks on the people of Libya. With our allies, it is crucial that we ensure the Libyan people do not suffer any more at Qaddafi’s hands.”

“Like many Americans, I have watched the atrocities perpetrated by Moammar Qaddafi in horror, and that’s why I am pleased with the resolution passed by the United Nations. It was an important step for the international community to take action to prevent Qaddafi from perpetrating further atrocities. And I support the President’s decision to work with our allies to enforce a no-fly zone and take other actions to protect Libyan civilians. Today the President presented Qaddafi with a clear choice and outlined the very serious consequences of ignoring the demands of the people of Libya and the international community.

“I believe the broad multilateral approach the President laid out will greatly improve the effectiveness of our efforts. The coalition we are working with includes not just our European allies, but also members of the Arab League. Qaddafi has lost legitimacy and it is only a matter of time before he is out of power. Together with our allies, we should work to ensure that Qaddafi’s transition out of power is swift, and that the people of Libya do not suffer any more than they already have.”