Gadhafi will eventually step down: Obama

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has said he is confident that Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi will "ultimately" step down and warned he had not ruled out supplying arms to rebels seeking to oust him.

Obama said the "noose is tightening" around the Libyan strongman, but noted on Tuesday it did not appear yet that Gadhafi was seeking to negotiate an exit from Libya, despite a fierce bombardment of his forces by a Western coalition.

The president gave interviews to three network television news shows as part of a firm defense of his Libya strategy, which included an address to Americans on Monday and coming appearances by his national security team in Congress.