US Libya legislative hypocrisy....

[MaddogK]

Is this really a U.N. operation that we are supplying most of the muscle for, or are we simply using the U.N. as cover to push regime change. This talk of assassination because of our history with daffy will have a high price with our allies in the region.

We need to abide by the limits of the U.N. resolution and pull a Germany- GTFO ASAP !

[Platapus]

The War Powers Act of 1973 gives the President the authority to commit military forces as long as he

1. Informs, in writing, the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate within 48 hours

2. Submits to congress a written report justifying the action. If congress does not take positive action, the military forces must be removed at the end of 60 days. The President can ask for one 30 day extension but he needs to justify that also.

Same rules as for Bush.

Yea I find it funny that a man that made his political career bashing Bush, has done the same exact thing, but the White House's response to this? Iraq and Afghanistan are wars, this thing in Lybia is not a war...

Atleast Bush had the balls to say that they were wars, justified or not. But I agree about the hypocrisy. I do think Qadaffi needs to go, and its clear he will no do so under his own power. Therefore he needs to be forced to see reason. The White House's response? Sunday it appeared we were there to save lives. Starting a war, to save lives. Must I say that "War.....War never changes." War does nothing but kill people innocent and guilty alike, to make a claim otherwise just isn't so.

Don't even get me started on Congress. Yea we won a victory in November, but without the Senate under our control the Dems can shove the top quarters into their hind quarters just as they have been doing since 2004. The house's hands are effectively tied, and of course you can't expect the President to go along with anything the House brings to the table, even if it does by some miracle pass in the Senate.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Platapus

2. Submits to congress a written report justifying the action. If congress does not take positive action, the military forces must be removed at the end of 60 days. The President can ask for one 30 day extension but he needs to justify that also.

Same rules as for Bush.

Let's hope that's as long as this lasts. I have a feeling it won't be.

[Platapus]

Oh I agree, I can't wait for the first "advisers" to be deployed to Libya.

[Sailor Steve]

I'm entertained by everybody jumping on the bandwagon without noticing which bandwagon they've jumped on. Not one person has addressed what Haplo was actually talking about.

It has been funny watching the talking heads spin on the news, they really don't know what to say as they have to condemn that which they justify and justify what they condemn, often in the same sentance.

Unfolding events throughout the middleeast have left them very confused and their black/white view has before their eyes turned a very mushy gray.
Yet they are still attempting a black/white line on it even though their white angle is obviously sortablack and their black is sortawhite.

[Castout]

I'm just glad that many Libyans are saved. My hat off to Obama. Late or otherwise the action saves a lot of people's lives including women and children. Ultimately it saves US standing on the world stage for people like me.
I don't care what else it's saving many many lives. For that I'm grateful.

You see your current president as bad as what his critics and oppositions are saying is actually admittedly first US president who gains a large international popularity on the world stage. True he gains that by being the first African American US president but like it or not he's an international figurehead now. True that every US president might have been an international figures by large but Obama is the first to capture the hearts and mind of the international community. If you don't like the guy we could use him being ours frankly and would be glad to swap ours with yours. But in US ours would probably cause massive riots within 3 months and the dissolution of USA a day after.

It's a very tough and stressful job being a US president especially in these times and for that alone the guy deserves some slack.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Castout

You see your current president as bad as what his critics and oppositions are saying is actually admittedly first US president who gains a large international popularity on the world stage. True he gains that by being the first African American US president but like it or not he's an international figurehead now. True that every US president might have been an international figures by large but Obama is the first to capture the hearts and mind of the international community. If you don't like the guy we could use him being ours frankly and would be glad to swap ours with yours. But in US ours would probably cause massive riots within 3 months and the dissolution of USA a day after.

Great. Then the international community can start paying the bill. Where should we send the invoice?

We have overcrowded schools, thousands and thousands of people dying every year for lack of health insurance, children starving and we're off gallivanting on foreign entanglements around the Middle East like we have money to burn. I believe we should get our own house in order before playing world cop.

[flatsixes]

Originally Posted by Castout

It's a very tough and stressful job being a US president especially in these times and for that alone the guy deserves some slack.

Slack? Good lord, man. Cut the president some slack?
This isn't a flub at a high school debate team meet. The leader of the most powerful nation on earth has committed the blood and treasure of that nation to an act of war. "Oops! My bad!" isn't an option. Anything less than complete competence is inexcusable. Tough job? Yeah. Now you better damned well succeed at it.

Oh I get what he is saying, the Republican "warmongers" can't get what they want without a formal declaration, and bleeding heart Democrats can't take credit without it either. It's a clever catch 22 but I doubt the man is intelligent enough to have done it purposely. It just happened so.

I got what he meant, I just chose not to really hear it. He was just blown off steam.

Oddly enough as half hazardly as he has done this little episode, it the first thing the man has done since he stepped foot in the White House that has my full support.

Do I think he will see it through? No it's not in his political genes. What does that mean for us? Only time will tell and hopefully it will be kind and inexpensive.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Slyguy3129

half hazardly

Is there any reason why anyone should take you seriously?

[MaddogK]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I'm entertained by everybody jumping on the bandwagon without noticing which bandwagon they've jumped on. Not one person has addressed what Haplo was actually talking about.

Actually I believe I have. This isn't our party, we don't need to formally declare war because we're just another participant in this U.N. action, the US couldn't have acted sooner as Libya isn't a serious threat to U.S. interests in the region and the U.N. is the lead on this, and as much as dislike Barry and his politics I think he acted correctly- say as little as possible, let Libya's neighbors dictate our response time, and let them play 'world police'. I don't mind one bit that we supply the muscle for this but I DO have a big problem with this apparent push to remove Ghadafi under the guise of a U.N. no fly zone. We pulled this crap in Iraq and see where that got us ? If we can keep Castro bottled up 90 miles off our shore for 40+ years why can't we do the same with Libya with his enemies help ?

I personally think we should have kept our hands clear of this, but since we're already there we need to make certain that we do ONLY what the U.N. says we can do, and NOTHING more.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by MaddogK

Actually I believe I have. This isn't our party, we don't need to formally declare war because we're just another participant in this U.N. action, the US couldn't have acted sooner as Libya isn't a serious threat to U.S. interests in the region and the U.N. is the lead on this, and as much as dislike Barry and his politics I think he acted correctly- say as little as possible, let Libya's neighbors dictate our response time, and let them play 'world police'. I don't mind one bit that we supply the muscle for this but I DO have a big problem with this apparent push to remove Ghadafi under the guise of a U.N. no fly zone. We pulled this crap in Iraq and see where that got us ? If we can keep Castro bottled up 90 miles off our shore for 40+ years why can't we do the same with Libya with his enemies help ?

I personally think we should have kept our hands clear of this, but since we're already there we need to make certain that we do ONLY what the U.N. says we can do, and NOTHING more.

+1!
So finally, I stand corrected : there's not only brainless cowboys in the united states of America.

[Molon Labe]

Originally Posted by Platapus

The War Powers Act of 1973 gives the President the authority to commit military forces as long as he

1. Informs, in writing, the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate within 48 hours

2. Submits to congress a written report justifying the action. If congress does not take positive action, the military forces must be removed at the end of 60 days. The President can ask for one 30 day extension but he needs to justify that also.

Same rules as for Bush.

The War Powers Act isn't worth the paper it's printed on. The powers of the Federal government are delineated in the Constitution; Congress can not legislate more power for itself.