Washington, March 4 (RHC)– U.S. President Barack Obama has publicly said for the first time that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi must leave office. During a news conference Thursday, Obama said he has ordered the U.S. military to be prepared to take action in Libya if needed.

Obama said that he wants to make sure that the United States “has  full capacity to act, potentially rapidly, if the situation  deteriorates” in Libya.

The U.S. president alluded to possible missions for so-called  “humanitarian airlifts,” saying that he had authorized U.S. military  aircraft to move foreigners who are trying to leave Libya.