Washington, DC – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement in response to President Obama’s address to the nation on Libya:

“I’ve said from the beginning that our mission in Libya must be focused on preventing the slaughter of innocent civilians. Our military has performed that mission bravely and effectively, and because of their efforts, Gadhafi’s forces have been pushed back and a humanitarian crisis has been averted.

“As the United States begins to scale back its role in the conflict, a broad, NATO-based coalition must now assume control of the mission. Moving forward, the responsibility of securing a No Fly Zone and protecting innocent civilians must be shared by a broad coalition of allies including Arab partners.

“I look forward to receiving more information from the Administration on the scope and nature of our involvement in the mission as events develop, and I will continue to monitor the situation closely in the coming days.”