By: Daniel Nardini
U.S. President Barack Obama is now in violation of the 1973 War Powers Resolution (also known as the War Powers Act). The resolution makes it clear that President Obama, after 60 days, must go before the U.S. Congress to ask for more money and authorization to continue the conflict he has involved the United States in Libya. So far he has not done this. Even if he does, this does not change the fact that the new U.S. mission, and indeed that of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is trying to overthrow Muamar Gaddhafi.
It has become more than obvious that the whole objective of the NATO war is to overthrow Gaddhafi—not to protect civilians in the rebel-held areas. We must for instance consider the high number of civilians who are being killed by NATO and yes American air forces in the Gaddhafi-held areas. Obama sent a letter to the U.S. Congress justifying his actions, but these actions cannot be justified. I find it interesting that the U.S. Congress in large part seems to be going along with Obama’s war in Libya. But if we look at the war itself, it is becoming more and more unjustified for the U.S. to be involved in it.
There are four reasons why the United States should not be involved in this civil war. First, it is a civil war—Gaddhafi against Libyan rebels. Second, this civil war has no bearing on U.S. national security nor for that matter of fact NATO. Third, the United States is in the midst of an economic crisis. Why should the U.S. government spend U.S. taxpayer dollars for a conflict that does not directly involve the United States? Lastly, how far will the U.S. government go to overthrow Gaddhafi? The last point is significant. It has already become clear that the Libyan civil war is a stalemate, that we would find it hard to get rid of Gaddhafi and this raises the stakes.
How far will Obama go? We know he is arming and training the Libyan rebels. We know that Obama is making sure that the rebels hang on so the U.S. can get at the oil reserves mostly in the rebel-held areas. We also know that the U.S. military is aiding the British and French militaries to attack and destroy Gaddhafi’s forces wherever they may be. And it is obvious the U.S. Congress is going along with this. But President Obama violating the War Powers Act is still unprecedented in American history, and it is still a dangerous precedent at that. So it again begs for the question how far will he go?
Trashing the War Powers Act
By: Daniel Nardini
U.S. President Barack Obama is now in violation of the 1973 War Powers Resolution (also known as the War Powers Act). The resolution makes it clear that President Obama, after 60 days, must go before the U.S. Congress to ask for more money and authorization to continue the conflict he has involved the United States in Libya. So far he has not done this. Even if he does, this does not change the fact that the new U.S. mission, and indeed that of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is trying to overthrow Muamar Gaddhafi.
It has become more than obvious that the whole objective of the NATO war is to overthrow Gaddhafi—not to protect civilians in the rebel-held areas. We must for instance consider the high number of civilians who are being killed by NATO and yes American air forces in the Gaddhafi-held areas. Obama sent a letter to the U.S. Congress justifying his actions, but these actions cannot be justified. I find it interesting that the U.S. Congress in large part seems to be going along with Obama’s war in Libya. But if we look at the war itself, it is becoming more and more unjustified for the U.S. to be involved in it.
There are four reasons why the United States should not be involved in this civil war. First, it is a civil war—Gaddhafi against Libyan rebels. Second, this civil war has no bearing on U.S. national security nor for that matter of fact NATO. Third, the United States is in the midst of an economic crisis. Why should the U.S. government spend U.S. taxpayer dollars for a conflict that does not directly involve the United States? Lastly, how far will the U.S. government go to overthrow Gaddhafi? The last point is significant. It has already become clear that the Libyan civil war is a stalemate, that we would find it hard to get rid of Gaddhafi and this raises the stakes.
How far will Obama go? We know he is arming and training the Libyan rebels. We know that Obama is making sure that the rebels hang on so the U.S. can get at the oil reserves mostly in the rebel-held areas. We also know that the U.S. military is aiding the British and French militaries to attack and destroy Gaddhafi’s forces wherever they may be. And it is obvious the U.S. Congress is going along with this. But President Obama violating the War Powers Act is still unprecedented in American history, and it is still a dangerous precedent at that. So it again begs for the question how far will he go?