Carolina Pimentel Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – While the president of the United States, Barack Obama, was in Brasilia today, he authorized attacks against air defense installations in Libya so as to permit a coalition of American, European and Arab forces to enforce a no-fly zone over that country.

Obama arrived in Brasila shortly after 7:30 am and met with the president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, a little after 10:00 am at the Palacio do Planalto. Around noon, the two presidents went to the Itamaraty Palace for meetings with business leaders from both countries and lunch.

The final event at the Brazil-United States Business Summit was a speech by Obama. However, after the speech, Obama had an unscheduled press conference (with mostly American journalists) and announced that he had authorized the attacks.

Obama declared that he was very much aware of the risks in military action, but that he had no choice but to defend the people of Libya against a dictator who threatened to show them no mercy.

“We are responding to a request by the people, against a threat that endangers the world and the United States,” said Obama.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English – content modified
Link - Obama autoriza, no Brasil, uso da força militar contra Khadafi