In a harshly worded statement Monday evening, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) declared, “The United States does not have a King’s army.” “President Obama’s unilateral choice to use U.S. military force in Libya is an affront to our Constitution,” said Bartlett, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. [...] Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), a member of the Armed Services Committee, told MSNBC Monday “this isn’t the way our system is supposed to work.” “We have not put this issue in front of the American people in any meaningful way,” said Webb. “The president is in Rio, the Congress is out of session.” – The Hill
Is this a joke? Unfortunately not, it’s just another sign of congressional impotence and Executive Branch hubris.
Amidst claims by members of Congress that they were insufficiently consulted, and ensuing White House pushback, President Obama Monday officially notified congressional leaders that 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.”
The notification was part of the president’s “efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution,” but given complaints from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, and the fact that the war started two days ago, it had the effect of a rather discomforting “While You Were Out…” note.
By the time Pres. Obama got around to sending this letter the alleged objectives of “Operation Odyssey Dawn” had already been accomplished. That is, the anticipated bloodletting in Benghazi had been avoided.
Retroactive “official notification” of beginning a war that is not in U.S. interests and which makes a mockery of American priorities is an embarrassment to the American President.
But the bigger insult is to Congress itself, however, as David Weigel explains easily, that’s on them because they don’t seem to want to do their job.
The whole exercise so far is fitting of Jon Stewart’s “don’t we already have two wars,” Yes album, we’re broke, “We can’t simultaneously fire teachers and tomahawk missiles” derision.
On a serious note, a U.S. Air Fore F-15E fighter jet crashed after reported mechanical failure, according to a report from Mike Allen that stated the U.S. military Africa Command said rebels rescued him after he ejected. It was not shot down.
Our planes are never shot down at the beginning of unnecessary invasions; mechanical and human bad things happening to good people. About last night’s TDS, Jon & the gang were on fire; so was SC.
Sorry, s/b: mechanical and human error are bad things that happen to good people. (note to self: fire my editor)
heh-heh… knew what you meant.
You are correct of course congress should have a say in this,but it is hard for me to work up any indignation on their behalf. They are self interested spinless do nothings who seem to always be on vacation. Oh excuse me off doing vital constiuency services. It would be interesting if someone would report on where they actually are during the many,many recesses.
Yep.
I’d like that — a report on what the DC Electeds do when they are on recess. Again. My bet is most if not all of it will have to do with money … raising it, and finding out how their Corporate Masters want them to use it.
Did anyone notice Maddow carrying WH water last night on Obama’a war? She must have mainlined some kool aide.
Good one, Lake Lady!
RM is all in on ODYSSEY DAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BHO is so unlike GWB in how he kills Muslims and torture disobedient Americans.
Now, class, let us watch the prez and Congress pretend to care about our Constitution–and about our country.
This whole situation is so screwed up !! France has alot of interest because they want contracts for oil and want to be the country that gets most of the oil. And of course the President should have went to congress but Presidents in this country seem to extend their executive powers without the the congress calling them out on it, or even giving the President more power like they did with Bush, which they are all going against The United States constitution.
Taylor,
I don’t mean to sound all *conspiracy theorist* however, do you think Obama’s actions WITHOUT Congressional approval stem from David Addington’s “Unitary Executive” theory he put into play in the White House while acting as Dick Cheney’s top aide?
I keep going back to Professor Dawn Johnsen, to whom Obama nominated to head the OLC and yet, Obama gave her no support and her nomination was eventually dropped, after a year. She is from my hometown of Bloomington, Indiana married to former Congressman Lee Hamilton’s son, John. John is running for mayor here this May.
My point being that Prof. Johnsen was dead set at ending the Unitary Executive and Campaign Obama’s words matched hers, but not his actions as President. I wonder if the Unitary Excutive legally gives Obama the power to do just what he did with Libya???
BTW, Professor Johnsen no longer supports Obama. Smart woman!