Donilon's announcement came as officials in Washington, Europe and the Middle East are debating whether to aid rebel forces, who have been battling to topple Gadhafi since mid-February. But in a blunt assessment to Congress, National Intelligence Director James Clapper said Gadhafi's advantage in military force makes him likely to survive the revolt.
Clapper told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the rebels are "in for a tough row" against Gadhafi, who still commands warplanes, an air-defense network and loyal army brigades against the opposition forces. He cautioned that the situation is "very fluid," but added, "I think, longer term, the regime will prevail."
"I do believe Gadhafi is in this for the long haul," Clapper said. "I don't think he has any intention, despite some of the press speculation to the contrary, of leaving. From all evidence that we have -- which I'd be prepared to discuss in closed session -- he appears to be hunkering down for the duration."
The comment led to a call for Clapper's firing by a member of the committee, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham. In a statement issued after the hearing, Graham said the remarks were "not helpful to our national security interests."
But Clapper's assessment was backed up by Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Burgess told senators that Gadhafi "seems to have staying power, unless some other dynamic changes at this time."
At NATO headquarters in Belgium, meanwhile, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Thursday the allies are moving to beef up their naval presence off Libya to provide better surveillance and have discussed "initial options" for imposing a no-fly zone over the country in the event the U.N. Security Council approves one.
