Posted on 03/18/2011 9:20:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Rep. Dennis Kucinich is calling for the recessed Congress to come back into session after President Obama announced that the United States will support a United Nations-approved no-fly-zone over Libya.
Kucinich, an outspoken opponent to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said in a statement that the president does not have the Constitutional power to unilaterally declare war and called on House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to immediately call the Congress back into session "to decide whether or not to authorize the United States' participation in a military strike."
"While the action is billed as protecting the civilians of Libya, a no-fly-zone begins with an attack on the air defenses of Libya and Qaddafi forces. It is an act of war. The president made statements which attempt to minimize U.S. action, but U.S. planes may drop U.S. bombs and U.S. missiles may be involved in striking another sovereign nation. War from the air is still war," Kucinich, D-Ohio, wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Whether the U.S. takes military action is not for the UN alone to decide. There is a constitutional imperative in the United States with respect to deciding to commit our U.S. armed forces to war."
"Both houses of Congress must weigh in," he added. "This is not for the President alone, or for a few high ranking Members of Congress to decide."
But the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., told ABC News Friday afternoon that he did not believe Congressional authorization is necessary for U.S. involvement, and credited the president for opening up a White House national security briefing Friday to Congressional leaders from both parties.
(Excerpt) Read more at wtma.com ...
Here is the illustrious Senator Graham: “They have my authorization. You can’t have 535 commander in chiefs,” Graham said. “I would like to have a vote in the floor when we get back saying they did the right thing. But that shouldn’t restrict the president from taking timely action.”
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/17/inside_classified_hill_briefing_administration_spells_out_war_plan_for_libya Kucinich is right... Congress should be deciding this, not Obama.
Yeppers.The Obama dont have to follow any US law. He is the “Chosen” and therefore exempt from all man made laws.
“I agree with him. If American blood and treasure is to be spent, let congress, assembled, declare it war. It’s only Constitutional.”
/johnny
I’m with you Johnny.
Isn’t it more like his women have good taste for money and fame? He is just the ends to a means.
The construction of a Presidency whose occupant can act in the name of the People, or on behalf of the People (as if he embodied their sovereignty) has been a disaster.
Of course military action in Libya (or Serbia, or Iraq, or Vietnam) requires action by Congress.
I live in his District. And while there are many things I disagree with him about...you always know where he stands on stuff. As kooky as he can be at times...he leaves you no doubts on most matters. I’ve written to him on numerous occasions and always get a response. Which more than can be said for GOPers. And I always work against him getting elected, but in some ways he does have my respect.
In this matter, even a stopped clock can be right twice a day. I happen to agree with him. I think if 0bama moves and orders action in Libya...0bama isn’t going to know how to extricate our troops later. Especially when the time comes for Congress to get involved under the WPA. 0bama is roping us into something that is Libya’s own civil war.
Is it any of our business the Gaddafi doesn’t concern himself with collateral damage? Most islamic countries don’t worry about collateral damage unless it is committed by an infidel. Are these rebels fighting for liberty or for an islamic caliphate?
Care and due diligence is needed...and 0bama should not be allowed to make this decision in the vacuum of the White House right now. If Kucinich can slow 0bama down on this it is a good thing.
Yes, But what does that say for the woman’s taste in men.
Not many women want to make love to a dwarf.
It was advertised as such, but I will not waste valuable time listening to nut-job Dennis Kucinich(D).
Besides (IMO) he is looking for free campaign advertising time...
..
Why, Dennis? You guys don't usually have a problem with him doing whatever he wants to do.
I'll give her one thing, she has bad taste in men.
I agree with Kucinich. The president doesn’t have the authority to declare war or to initiate lower level offensive military actions (marque and reprisal).
He needs congressional authorization for either. The truth remains that Libya has not attacked us in any form.
I did not support the humanitarian premise for Bosnia/Kosovo, in which Serbs were villified and then attacked. Nor do I support a humanitarian premise for intervening in a civil war.
A humanitarian premise for the Holocaust would have passed muster because the public evidence of murder of a race of people was evident by public pronouncements and by events such as Kristalnacht. However, there were military reasons to have confronted Germany which had violated every military restriction placed on them by Versailles.
We didnt need a humanitarian reason to fight Germany in 1939. Nobody did. Everyone was just too timid to reinstate hostilities and Hitler used that timidity to basically take over most of Europe without firing a single shot (if you don't count the thousands of political assassinations). Germany had violated the terms of the peace treaty which was still in effect.
When one side or the other violates the terms of a peace treaty, the peace is ended and any prior declaration of war would remain in effect. This is why our second entry into Iraq was perfectly legal. Hussein had violated the terms of the 1990 cease fire, so the Allies were free to reinstate hostilities. Unfortunately only Bush and Blair had the balls to enforce it.
We have never authorized military action in Libya and we have no compelling strategic interest in getting involved. For all we know, the rebels are worse than Khadaffi ever dreamed of being.
yup... realize that, my focus was the ‘under UN direction’ part... I should have put more emphasis on ‘officially’, as I was referring to a formal “declaration of war,” which hs not happenned since??? WWII?
sfl
-PJ
Exactly. And we pretend that somehow having France involved provides us some degree of separation. The French, iirc, were hated in western N. Africa. I assume that was sustained across N. Africa as well.
Well Congress?
Call it what you wish. It was a war to me and I was in it.
USS Essex CV9 and USS Kearsarge CVA33.
But I’m not disputing your basic point
“He needs congressional authorization for either. The truth remains that Libya has not attacked us in any form.”
Neither did North Korea in the 50’s.
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