Nightly News   |  February 24, 2011

Can world leaders influence events in Libya?

President Obama has publicly condemned the violence in Libya, but what options does the U.S. have to influence what is happening? NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports.

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>>> president obama has publicly condemned the violence in libya, but the problem for the u.s. and other countries continues to be the inability to shape events while watching these events unfold. our chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell has more on this from our d.c. newsroom this evening.

>> good evening, brian. the president talked to the leaders of france, great britain and italy today trying to organize a united front against gadhafi. tomorrow nato will meet and discuss among other options a no-fly zone. the u.n. will likely vote next week to suspend libya from the human rights council and could launch investigations that could eventually go to the international criminal court . the europeans have voted to take steps toward tougher sanctions and arms embargo and president obama can take similar steps by executive order . but will any of this impress gadhafi who is described by experts and you heard richard engel as both confrontational and delusional. so officials say it is possible that none of these steps will prevent the regime from retrenching and responding more violently.

>> all right. andrea mitchell in d.c. tonight. andrea, thanks.