Posted on 03/22/2011 1:51:23 PM PDT by Nachum
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release March 21, 2011
TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE
March 21, 2011
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
At approximately 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on March 19, 2011, at my direction, U.S. military forces commenced operations to assist an international effort authorized by the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council and undertaken with the support of European allies and Arab partners, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and address the threat posed to international peace and security by the crisis in Libya. As part of the multilateral response authorized under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973, U.S. military forces, under the command of Commander, U.S. Africa Command, began a series of strikes against air defense systems and military airfields for the purposes of preparing a no-fly zone. These strikes will be limited in their nature, duration, and scope. Their purpose is to support an international coalition as it takes all necessary measures to enforce the terms of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973. These limited U.S. actions will set the stage for further action by other coalition partners.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 authorized Member States, under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, to take all necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in Libya, including the establishment and enforcement of a "no-fly zone" in the airspace of Libya. United States military efforts are discrete and focused on employing unique U.S. military capabilities to set the conditions for our European allies and Arab partners to carry out the measures authorized by the U.N. Security Council Resolution.
Muammar Qadhafi was provided a very clear message that a cease-fire must be implemented immediately. The international community made clear that all attacks against civilians had to stop; Qadhafi had to stop his forces from advancing on Benghazi; pull them back from Ajdabiya, Misrata, and Zawiya; and establish water, electricity, and gas supplies to all areas. Finally, humanitarian assistance had to be allowed to reach the people of Libya.
Although Qadhafi's Foreign Minister announced an immediate cease-fire, Qadhafi and his forces made no attempt to implement such a cease-fire, and instead continued attacks on Misrata and advanced on Benghazi. Qadhafi's continued attacks and threats against civilians and civilian populated areas are of grave concern to neighboring Arab nations and, as expressly stated in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973, constitute a threat to the region and to international peace and security. Advertisement
His illegitimate use of force not only is causing the deaths of substantial numbers of civilians among his own people, but also is forcing many others to flee to neighboring countries, thereby destabilizing the peace and security of the region. Left unaddressed, the growing instability in Libya could ignite wider instability in the Middle East, with dangerous consequences to the national security interests of the United States. Qadhafi's defiance of the Arab League, as well as the broader international community moreover, represents a lawless challenge to the authority of the Security Council and its efforts to preserve stability in the region. Qadhafi has forfeited his responsibility to protect his own citizens and created a serious need for immediate humanitarian assistance and protection, with any delay only putting more civilians at risk.
The United States has not deployed ground forces into Libya. United States forces are conducting a limited and well-defined mission in support of international efforts to protect civilians and prevent a humanitarian disaster. Accordingly, U.S. forces have targeted the Qadhafi regime's air defense systems, command and control structures, and other capabilities of Qadhafi's armed forces used to attack civilians and civilian populated areas. We will seek a rapid, but responsible, transition
of operations to coalition, regional, or international organizations that are postured to continue activities as may be necessary to realize the objectives of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973.
For these purposes, I have directed these actions, which are in the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.
I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution. I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.
BARACK OBAMA
The list, ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Not enough. He needed the approval of Congress under the very act he cites. What the UN authorizes doesn’t mean squat.
Who wrote this for him?
Holder or Ayers?
Sounds to me like he’s informing our legislature that their authority to declare war has been overridden by UN Security Council resolutions.
We the People of the United States are no longer allowed to deploy our Armed Forces in defense of our nation unless the UN thinks it’s ok.
Somebody tell me this community organizer didn't really take this country to war via a note written to Congress. Huh?
I’ll be late for the war because the dog ate my homework.
Signed,
BHO
Sorry, it’s not satire. That is what the dictator did.
How about your “illegitimate use of force,” Zero?
Incredible.
Øbongo just confirming that he considers un to be preeminent...
Which he skipped entirely to get to:
SEC. 3.
The President in every possible instance shall consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situation where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and after every such introduction shall consult regularly with the Congress until United States Armed Forces are no longer engaged in hostilities or have been removed from such situations.
I guess if the Repubs think it's fine, then it must be. They aren't needed then if we just have an executive branch and not a legislative one.
Ok, I believe that oboingo has already committed impeachable offenses ignoring rulings on the drilling ban and health care and choosing not to enforce DOMA, (and I’m sure there are other things this moron has done that can be added to the list) but my question is this. Does this rise to the level of an impeachable offense that both the left and the right would actually agree on? Is this going to grow legs of complete dereliction of duty?
btt
Congress consists of a Senate full of Liberal schmucks and the House is occupied by Eunuchs. Meanwhile, our White House is occupied by a wannabe dictator, in my opinion.
This Congress is gutless.
He has cited minutia in the famed War Powers Act to criticize actions of Bush, and then oversteps the Dem’s cherished War Powers Act in a way Bush never did.
The reason is clear. He wished to establish precedent of the P2P (power to protect populations) as a legitement sole power of the UN despite its never having this authority in its charter outside actions authorized by its soverign member nations. One World Government dream of Susan Powers, Obama and the other leftists must take priority over the Constitution or the leftists can’t win.
So true.
Ain’t no one home right now, the resident is spring breaking in Rio.
Nothing he does is questioned by media or those elected to protect our nation and us. How far will he be able to push his agenda before there is a feeble objection from any of the likes of them is highly questionable at best. Ignoring the ruling on Obamacare and proceeding with it is nothing short of giving our court system the proverbial finger.
Ditto the biased (should have recused herself) judge in the Wisconsin matter. Corruption (ACORN, ACLU/SEIU/AFL-CIO et al), racial bias (Eric Holder) the creation of insurmountable debt, and contemptible disregard for the Constitution and Bill of Rights are, to date, this administration's legacy.
USC TITLE 22 > CHAPTER 7 > SUBCHAPTER XVI > § 287d
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode22/usc_sec_22_00000287-—d000-.html
In this code is written -
“The President shall not be deemed to require the authorization of the Congress to make available to the Security Council on its call in order to take action under article 42 of said Charter and pursuant to such special agreement or agreements the armed forces, facilities, or assistance provided for therein”
Articles 41,42 and surrounding here.
http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter7.shtml
I guess we have an article 42 in effect which does not require congressional input.
The War Powers Resolution needs work to clarify procedures in events such as this. I see no reason why the code cannot be modified so as to require Congressional consultation (not just advisement) in situations such as this.
Some suggestion are given in pages 44-48 in CRS RL32267
http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL32267_20080310.pdf
I like the idea of a Consultation Group described therein.
I really don’t like the way this situation was handled, legal or not, as failure to consult was not necessary or forced by circumstance.
He can’t be expected to fly back from Rio to notify people in person, can he?
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