(Photo courtesy the White House by Pete Souza)

In his weekly address to the nation, he justified the decision to send troops into Libya, saying American forces are protecting the Libyan people from the brutal regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

"I firmly believe that when innocent people are being brutalized; when someone like Qaddafi threatens a bloodbath that could destabilize an entire region; and when the international community is prepared to come together to save many thousands of lives—then it’s in our national interest to act," Obama said in the address. "And it’s our responsibility. This is one of those times."

Gaddafi's forces are no longer advancing across Libya, and the Libyan air defenses have been destroyed, the President said.

"Every American can be proud of the lives we’ve saved in Libya and of the service of our men and women in uniform who once again have stood up for our interests and our ideals," he told the American people. "And people in Libya and around the world are seeing that the United States of America stands with those who hope for a future where they can determine their own destiny."

Watch the entire speech below.