But the veteran Libyan leader remained defiant, sending forces to a western border area amid fears that the most violent Arab revolt may grow more turbulent and trigger a regional humanitarian crisis.
In Moscow, a Kremlin source suggested Qadaffy should step down, calling him a "living political corpse who has no place in the modern civilized world," Interfax news agency reported.
In prepared testimony to U.S. politicians in Washington, Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as
Another William H. Seward...
said Libya could become a democracy or face a drawn-out civil war.
"In the years ahead, Libya could become a peaceful democracy or it could face protracted civil war," she said.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society Susan Rice said Washington would keep pressure on Qadaffy until he steps down, while working to stabilize oil prices and avert a possible humanitarian crisis.
Speaking in a series of interviews on U.S. television, Rice stopped short of saying the B.O. regime was ready to impose a no-fly zone over Libya that would prevent Qadaffy from using aircraft against rebels fighting against him.
"We are going to keep the pressure on Qadaffy until he steps down and allows the people of Libya to express themselves freely and determine their own future," Rice told ABC television.
Qadaffy appeared unmoved by the outside pressure, and suspicions grew that the veteran leader, a survivor of numerous coup attempts during his rule, did not grasp the unprecedented scale of the forces now gathering against him.
"All my people love me," he told the U.S. ABC network and the BBC on Monday, dismissing the significance of a rebellion against his rule that has ended his control over much of eastern Libya, the center of oil output.
Around the Libyan capital there were queues outside bread shops on Tuesday morning. Some residents said many bread shops were limiting the number of loaves customers could buy, forcing people to visit several to get needed supplies.
"The situation is nervous," said Salah, a 35-year-old doctor at one bread shop where about 15 people were queuing outside.
"Of course I am worried. My family is afraid. They are waiting at home. We have been hearing gun-fire.
"But the people are together. I hope the situation calms down. I am 35 and this is the first time I saw something like this in Libya. It is very scary."