Gadhafi Sends Message to Obama

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday sent a message to U.S. President Barack Obama, following the withdrawal of American warplanes from Libya, the official Libyan news agency JANA said.

"The leader of the revolution (Gadhafi) sent on Wednesday a message to U.S. President Barack Obama after the United States withdrew from the aggressive, colonialist coalition crusading against Libya," said the agency without specifying the contents of the message.

The U.S. military on Monday withdrew its fighter jets from the international air campaign in Libya, officials said, after NATO asked Washington to keep up bombing raids for another 48 hours.

The United States has said it is still considering whether to recognize the rebel Transitional National Council as the legitimate government of Libya, a step that France, Qatar and Italy have already taken.

A senior U.S. diplomat arrived Tuesday in rebel-held eastern Libya for talks with the opposition about its political aims and the provision of humanitarian aid, the State Department said.