Posted on 06/15/2011 12:44:58 PM PDT by tobyhill
The White House is telling Congress that President Obama has the legal authority to continue American participation in the NATO-led air war in Libya, even though lawmakers have not authorized it.
In a broader package of materials the Obama administration is sending to Congress on Wednesday defending its Libya policy, the White House, for the first time, offers lawmakers and the public an argument for why Mr. Obama has not been violating the War Powers Resolution since May 20.
On that day, the Vietnam-era law’s 60-day deadline for terminating unauthorized hostilities appeared to pass. But the White House argued that the activities of United States military forces in Libya do not amount to full-blown “hostilities” at the level necessary to involve the section of the War Powers Resolution that imposes the deadline.
“We are acting lawfully,” said Harold Koh, the State Department legal adviser, who expanded on the administration’s reasoning in a joint interview with White House Counsel Robert Bauer.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Either way, because the War Powers Resolution does not include a definition of “hostilities”
Anybody else think this is Obamas “what is IS moment”? It seems every Dem has one....
The next argument he will have is that since we are using unmanned drones we are not really there.
“We are acting lawfully”
“I am not a crook”
The same libs that support this are the same libs who stamped up and down over Iran Contra......
President Obama's predilection for expanding Executive power in other respects notwithstanding, I think the correct course for Congress would be to defund the military effort, should they decide that our involvement in Libya does not serve the national interest. In my view, the United States has an insufficient national interest there to justify a direct military presence. But Congress must act to pull the plug by denying funding after a given date.
>>> (Obama claims he’s above the law)
History didn’t start with Obama. From Nixon onward no president has agreed the WPA superseded their inherent authority as Commander in Chief.
As I recall some Congressman also tried to take Clinton to court over the same issue regarding Kosovo. The court citing Separation of Powers between the Executive and Congress refused to intervene. Libya is not a good faith war but that’s a separate political issue. Constitutionally Obama as CinC is probably on solid ground.
Gee,,,, remember back when NATO was a defensive alliance, meant to protect Europe from an attack?
Now it’s the aggressor, attacking outside of europe?
And to expect the Cryer to do anything is just idiotic.
The War Powers Act isn’t worth a hill of beans if the courts don’t bother with it. The case of Campbell v. Clinton was dismissed for lack of standing even after congress voted down action in Yugoslovia. SCOTUS declined to hear it.
However, if the War Powers Act is amended to cut off all funding for a conflict that does not comply, then that is simply Congress using the power of the purse in a perfectly appropriate manner. My understanding is that the House just passed such a provision.
This regime views the WPA and the constitution like a screen back door. The more you slam it, the looser it gets.
Since when is the unilateral attack on a sovereign country for the sole purpose of “regime change” anything BUT war?
Obama doesn’t think all of these things he KNOWS he can do as he please’s.
What has happened to stop him from knowing he can get away with it?
Boehner isn’t going to do anything except cry, and we Know Reid in the Senate would back dropping an atomic bomb if Obama decided to do it. Reids lips are stuck on Obama’s Bum.
The Republican party is looking for a candidate to run for President. Where are these candidates and why arent they screaming like raped apes?
Of course McCain thinks Obama is a god.
or hostile? Watch The Obama lawyers all say it depends on what the definition of hostile is...
BTW Does Obama have more lawyers than a staff?When our country is going to hell because of him and the amendment in the CRAct made by dems should we be paying for a President to lawyer up? Does he lawyers have a huge staff? What is the cost of retainer on the taxpayers?
His argument would be far more effective if the nation was Iran, but he can’t bomb another enabler of the Caliphate, now, can he?
FUHK
FURB
FUBO
You silly conservatives just don’t understand, do you.
Democrat bombs are a kinder, and gentler way of killing people and maiming kids than REPUBLICAN BOMBS.
That’s why you won’t see the media covering any Anti-lybian War protests.
After all, It’s not an Illegal War when Killing-While-Democrat!!
s/off
They are having a freaking picnic today.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/06/15/obama_to_host_congressional_picnic/
Absolutely nailed it.
I’ve been waiting for Code Pink to camp out at Obama’s Chicago home like they did in Crawford for Bush. Obama and Democrats railed against Bush, and what happens? Obama goes into Libya and sends drone into Yemen and who knows where else. And nary a peep from the corrupt MSM or the left.
All this goes to prove that Liberals (Marxists) really have no principles, they just use issues solely for the purpose of trying to leverage political power.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.