WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Monday said broadening the military mission in Libya to include regime change would be a mistake, adding that if the United States tried to overthrow the Libyan government by force, the coalition would splinter, and troops would face far more danger.
"The task that I assigned our forces - to protect the Libyan people from immediate danger, and to establish a no-fly zone - carries with it a UN mandate and international support," said Obama, noting if the administration "tried to overthrow Gaddafi by force, our coalition would splinter. We would likely have to put US troops on the ground."
He said in that way, the dangers faced by US soldiers would be far greater, so would the costs, and the share of the responsibility for "what comes next."
