House Presses Obama on Libya

Though it stopped short of demanding that President Obama pull American forces out of the NATO operation against Libya immediately, the House passed a resolution that gives him 14 days to argue for continued military involvement in the effort to remove Moammar Gadhafi from power. The U.S. has been part of the mission since March 19, with leaders initially guaranteeing success within days or weeks. After more than two months, Congress has become impatient. In addition to the Republican-sponsored resolution that passed on a 268-145 vote Friday, there was a second, more drastic measure offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich that called for total military withdrawal from Libyan operations; the Kucinich resolution failed 148-265. With roughly 60 percent of the House in favor of reining in Obama’s ability to wage war against Gadhafi, it seems Congress has finally had more war than it can stomach. It’s a wonder it took this long. — KDG

The New York Times:

The House of Representatives voted Friday to rebuke President Obama for continuing to maintain an American role in NATO operations in Libya without the express consent of Congress, and directed the administration to provide detailed information about the cost and objectives of the American role in the conflict.

The resolution, which passed 268 to 145, was offered by Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, to siphon off swelling Republican support for a measure sponsored by Representative Dennis J. Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat, which calls for a withdrawal of the United States military from the air and naval operations in and around Libya.

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