Think back to the 2001-05 time period and let me ask: Can you imagine, in your wildest dreams, six Republican House members standing side-by-side with left-wingers John Conyers and Dennis Kucinich in claiming that the president was waging an illegal war against a terrorist regime?
It’s astounding that a bipartisan group led by Rep. Kucinich has taken action in federal court, suing President Obama in an attempt to end the U.S. military involvement in Libya that’s designed to oust the Mideast Madman, Moammar Ghadafi.
During the Bush administration, Republicans who engaged in such rhetoric about a military offensive against a nation that condones terrorism would have been skewered mercilessly by conservative commentators. But this is different — this is “Obama’s war.”
These are the plaintiffs: Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Walter Jones (R-North Carolina), Howard Coble (R-North Carolina), John Duncan (R-Tennessee), Roscoe Bartlett (R-Maryland), John Conyers (D-Michigan), Ron Paul (R-Texaz), Michael Capuano (D-Massachusetts), Tim Johnson (R-Illinois) and Dan Burton (R-Indiana).
Seventy years have passed since Congress last declared war,  but these lawmakers say that Obama must comply with the War Powers Resolution and seek congressional authorization. The president is sharply ciriticized by these rogue congressmen for not consulting with Capitol Hill before sending U.S. airmen to help enforce the no-fly zone over Libya.
Two senior administration lawyers responded that American forces have not been in “hostilities” at least since April 7, when NATO took over leadership of the operation over the Libyan skies. The United States took up what is mainly a supporting role — providing surveillance and refueling for allied warplanes. (Those refueling tankers have included aircraft and airmen from Selfridge Air National Guard Base.)
In addition, unmanned drones operated by the United States periodically fire missiles as well.
In a 30-page report to Congress, the administration’s legal team argued that United States forces are at little risk in the operation because there are no American troops on the ground and Libyan forces are unable to exchange meaningful fire with American forces, according to The New York Times. The report said that there was little risk of the military mission escalating, because it is constrained by the United Nations Security Council resolution that authorized use of air power to defend civilians.
The bottom line: These plaintiffs are in the minority.
The House has held a vote on a resolution to end the war and failed to pass it. The House has attached amendments to two different bills forbidding funds from being used to assist the Libyan freedom fighters, but those bills have yet to pass the Senate, and funding can come through other bills.
In the meantime, I’m awaiting the fire and brimstone from the right calling Kucinich and his GOP cronies disgraceful and unpatriotic.

Recent Posts: