Obama says US is ‘tightening the noose’ on Gadhafi in Libya

President Obama said Friday that the U.S. and the international community are ratcheting up the pressure daily on embattled Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi.

Obama, in a wide-ranging press conference called to discuss rising energy prices, emphasized that he is not taking military options off the table, but he said he does not “take those decisions lightly.”

{mosads}The president said setting up a no-fly zone in Libya, as advocated by some lawmakers, is still under consideration. He said the U.S. is consulting with Arab and African nations about such a move, and that NATO’s defense ministers are scheduled to consider such an act on Tuesday.

Obama said repeatedly that “it is in the interests of the United States” that Gadhafi leave power, but the president would not commit to ensuring that the Libyan leader is forced out.

“He is more and more isolated internationally both through sanctions as well as an arms embargo,” Obama said.

Obama added that quickly placed sanctions and pressure from the international community means that “across the board, we are slowly tightening the noose on Gadhafi.”

“The bottom line is that I have not taken any options off the table at this point,” Obama said. “I think it’s important to understand that we have moved about as swiftly as an international coalition has ever moved to impose sanctions on Gadhafi.”