The Washington Post is reporting that the House Republicans are poised to strip funding for U.S. military operations in Libya today. That’s an interesting way to put it, given that there is bipartisan support in the House to defund the unfocused mission in Libya. I guess the Post writers don’t read their own newspaper (see below). Oh well, the Republicans should eagerly take credit for this effort, as the American people seem to be on their side.
Remind me again – what exactly are we doing in Libya, anyway?
The House is expected Friday to vote to strip funding for offensive military operations in Libya, leaving only money for U.S. forces carrying out support activities for the NATO-led mission such as aircraft refueling, intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance.
Republican leaders scheduled two votes on Libya on Friday as restive lawmakers seek a chance to rebuke President Obama over the operation. One measure would authorize the U.S. role in the 97-day-old military campaign, but that vote is expected to fail. The other, sponsored by Rep. Thomas J. Rooney (R-Fla.), would cut off funds for activities such as U.S. drone strikes.
Rooney’s resolution is unlikely to have any real-world effect, because the Democratic-controlled Senate is unlikely to approve it. But it would still be the strongest signal to date that the House — including Republicans and many Democrats — have turned against Obama over the U.S. mission in Libya.
“I don’t think that it’s our role to . . . determine what will or what won’t go to the Senate. I think that we have to take care of our business,” Rooney said. “We’re not going to sit by and just do nothing while the president has broken the law.”
Republicans contend that the president has bypassed a 1973 law that requires presidents to seek congressional approval after sending forces into hostilities overseas, and the White House argues that it is not engaging in sustained “hostilities.”
Read the rest here.