Service de Presse du PCN / REVUE DE PRESSE /
PCN-NCP Press Office / PRESS REVIEW :
Titles and comments/Titres et commentaires : Luc MICHEL
Tags/recherches : Karel HUYBRECHTS
(From : The New York Times / Associated Press / CBS News)
According to a recent CBS News poll, six out of ten American Democrats, Republicans, and independents think the US should not be involved in the unpopular war on Libya.
“House Rejects Resolution Authorizing US Mission in Libya”, comment THE NEW YORK TIMES (24 June 2011) :
The House on Friday resoundingly rejected a measure that would have authorized the United States’ mission in Libya, with 70 Democrats deserting President Obama on an issue that has divided their party and became a major Constitutional flash point between Congress and the White House. The resolution — one of two the House took up Friday — failed 295 to 123, with an overwhelming majority of Republicans voting no (…) Over the last few months, there has been increasing hostility toward the Obama administration in the House among both Democrats who oppose the war and many Republicans, who cite Constitutional issues, over the president’s refusal to seek authorization from Congress for the operations in Libya. They say such authorization is required by the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
Under that law, presidents must terminate unauthorized deployments 60 days after notifying Congress that they have begun. If what the United States military is doing in Libya constitutes “hostilities” — the administration argues that it does not — then that deadline passed on May 20. Speaker John A. Boehner has repeatedly warned President Obama that the House considers the situation untenable and would seek to intervene through resolutions and its power of the purse (…)
The House then quickly moved to debate a second resolution, sponsored by Representative Thomas Rooney, Republican of Florida, that would prohibit the use of money for military operations in Libya, allowing financing only for support operations like search and rescue, aerial refueling, operational planning, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance — essentially requiring an end to direct American combat activity like missile strikes. The measure, which has the support of Republican leadership, was intended to severely limit America’s role while not completely leaving NATO allies in the lurch.
The Senate, controlled by Democrats, is not expected to pass such a measure and therefore it is unlikely to have any practical effect on the Libyan operations. Still, the measure would send a strong signal to Mr. Obama that he lacked full Congressional support, reflecting in large part a nation weary of war”.
THE NEW YORK TIMES comment also the action against Obama of the democrat Congressman Kucinich :
“The secretary (Clinton) was there to make the case on behalf of the administration on why they want to continue the war,” said Representative Dennis J. Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, one of the attendees. He added: “It would appear inside the caucus that there is a split on this, and I think the fact that the secretary came over tells you a couple things. One, that the White House is very concerned about the vote, and second, that there is a sudden awareness that the fact that the administration has ignored Congress may carry with it a price.”
“A bipartisan group of representatives will also offer an amendment to a Pentagon appropriations bill, which may be voted on as early as Friday, which would further cut funding for intelligence and operational support in Libya, and end all activities by October. It is not clear how much support that measure would have if the more limited resolution offered by Mr. Rooney passes”.
“Opposition to Libya war climbing in US” in all the Country and all the social and political wings, analyse AP (Jun 21, 2011) :
“The opposition to US role in the Libyan conflict is climbing among American nationals and lawmakers, as American military embarks on a three-month action in the North African state.
The feeling among Americans over the US involvement in killing both pro- and anti-Gaddafi forces in Libya has become more divided and the number of people speaking out against NATO’s bombing campaign in the crisis-hit country is climbing, a Press correspondent reports. Anti-war activists have expressed concerns about the Libyan war, arguing that the United States is pursuing its own objectives and interests in the strife-ridden Libya”.
“Well, it’s under the guise of protecting civilians. That’s what Resolution 1973 authorizes.”
“It’s clearly designed to overthrow the government in Libya,” said National Coordinator of ANSWER Coalition Brian Becker. “They want in Libya to have a government that functions as a client or a proxy of Western powers. So it’s about oil and it’s about power. It’s about both,” he added.
“In recent days, the White House has come under harsh criticism from lawmakers that don’t believe Washington’s involvement in Libya is legally justified.
Experts say Libya is costing the US 10 million dollars a day and Democrats and Republicans have jointly filed a lawsuit with a federal court, charging that US President Barack Obama is in violation of both the Constitution and the War Powers Act. The congressional critics of the move floated the possibility of defunding US military operations in Libya, or invoking the War Powers Act in order to put an end to the conflict there. However, the Obama administration says that the president doesn’t need congressional authorization because the US role in the conflict is not significant enough.
The War Powers Resolution passed by US Congress in 1973, gives the US president the power to use the US military for up to 60 days without seeking congressional authorization.
Obama’s deadline to seek authorization from Congress was May 20. Even though his administration had earlier agreed that the War Powers Act did apply, he changed course over the past week, insisting that it is a special case”.
The United States is largely responsible for air raids carried out in Libya and providing logistical support for NATO air raids on the North African country.
“We have drone strikes that are going on in Libya. We have probably people on the ground from the CIA in Libya. We have personnel helping outside Libya,” said Policy director of Peace Action Paul Martin. "People are being killed, bombs are being dropped. That’s hostility as far as I am concerned,” he added.
NATO launched a major air campaign against forces of the Libyan regime in mid-March under a UN mandate to “protect the Libyan population.”