Yesterday Jake Tapper at ABC News posted a story about how President Obama is avoiding being held accountable by the War Powers Act now that sixty days have passed since the United States got involved in the war in Libya.
The article reports:
"President Obama wrote a letter to congressional leaders this afternoon suggesting that the role is now so "limited" he does not need to seek congressional approval.
""Since April 4," the president wrote, "U.S. participation has consisted of: (1) non-kinetic support to the NATO-led operation, including intelligence, logistical support, and search and rescue assistance; (2) aircraft that have assisted in the suppression and destruction of air defenses in support of the no-fly zone; and (3) since April 23, precision strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles against a limited set of clearly defined targets in support of the NATO-led coalition's efforts.""
Wow. That is one interesting set of verbal gobbledegook. I'll bet some previous presidents would have loved to get away with language like that.
The article further states:
"The president voiced support for a bipartisan resolution drafted by Senators John Kerry, D-Mass., John McCain, R-Ariz., Carl Levin, D-Mich., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Lindsey Graham, R-SC, and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., stating that Congress "supports the U.S. mission in Libya and that both branches are united in their commitment to supporting the aspirations of the Libyan people for political reform and self-government...Congressional action in support of the mission would underline the U.S. commitment to this remarkable international effort."
"Earlier this month, Kerry - who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - described his resolution as "in limbo.""
I don't mean to be difficult, but do you think for a moment that if this were a Republican president Congress would be so docile?
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