programs in 2003. there are some chemical weapons and related materials that remain in libya today but not in weaponnized form. as of this afternoon, close to 300 american citizens remain trapped aboard aer ifry docked in tri poe lie awaiting a voyage to malta. security aboard the vessel is provided by u.s. personnel but the perimeter security is provided by the libyan security forces. james rosen live at the state department. thank you. some of libyan s cities broke away from gaddafi rule. david lee miller has that port of the story near the border with egypt. reporter: the city of tobruk is waiting and watching. the people who live here hopes the rest of the country
government now that protects their safety. is responsive to their aspirations and broadly representative. at the white house, with president obama called other heads of state and the aides met for two hours in the situation room, u.s. policy emerged more clearly, centered on individual and multilateral sanctions. weapons embargo and asset freezes. at the same time, secretary of state clinton ordered suspension of all operations at the u.s. embassy in tri poe lie and 19 officers in the building with spirited out of the country on chartered flight to istanbul. a top aide explained what triggered the decision. chaos in the street, gunfire begin. they have lost control over swath of the country in the east where the opposition figures are forming the ad hoc committee to restore law and order signaled most oil contracts will be upheld. the obama administration made clear the u.s. has yet to open up its own dialogue with the libyan rebels who may run the country.
piece may be disturbing. venturing in the street of the capital city slipping from his control, muammar gaddafi braced supporters supporters inn square for more armed conflict and alluded to his own death. at a suitablal time, we will open the arms depot so all libyans and describes become arms and libia is right with fire. if they t arab and africans don t love muammar gaddafi then gaddafi dad does not deserve to live. amateur videos posted online appear to confirm reports that the gaddafi forces fired on protesters in tri poe lie as they emerged from mosques holding friday morning frayiers. a city 30 miles west of tripoli and residents that gaddafi urged in the last tv appearance not to abandon him. scores were killed in clashes before the rebels took full control. colonel gaddafi has lost the confidence of his people. libyan people deserve a
correspondent leland vittert. in tripoli, armored jeeps could be seen lining up as if to make good on gaddafi s promise to fight to the last drop of blood. mercenaries fired on unarmed civilians as they tried to put down the uprising. in eastern libya, about 500 miles from tri poe lie, antigovernment rebels seem to control the city, celebrating in the square. demanding they free libya. gaddafi, go away we don t want you. your family, your tribe, nothing. we don t want you anymore. gaddafi hasn t listened to his citizens in a rambling defiant speech last night he read from the green book, often referred to as his manifest toe. today, protesters destroyed
copies of it in protest. it proved too much as tens of thousands escaped across the tunisia and egyptian border. worried they ll be caught up in a civil war as rebels circle the stronghold and force the dictator of more than four decades from office. those escaping tell harrowing tales of army checkpoint and soldiers taken away everything. including mobile phones for any video video of the violence reaching the outside world. every minute, many, many people die. every minute. you know the situation now in tri poe lie. every minute. reporter: it appears gaddafi is trying to use his army and air force to put the protests down, but it may not be that easy. today, two pilots ejected from