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Subscribe to RSSFormer Democratic Congressman Lee Hamilton, a member of National War Powers Commission, said President Obama’s argument that the United States is not engaged in hostilities in Libya “is not supportable. Indeed, it’s a real stretch.”
Just before Hamilton’s appearance on MSNBC’s "Andrea Mitchell Reports," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry introduced a bipartisan resolution to authorize the limited use of United States Armed Forces in Libya.
“[Not supporting the mission in Libya] would ignore our real national security interests and help extend the narrative of resentment toward the U.S.,” said the Massachusetts senator.
Regardless, the former Indiana congressman Hamilton says the White House and Congress need to stop arguing over the legality of fighting in Libya and start taking action. "You have, once again, the president and the Congress arguing process [over] 'who has the power to do what?' That's an argument that's gone on for decades if not centuries in this country."
He added that such arguments "divert attention."
Instead of "discussing the...key issue: What the United States should be doing in Libya," Hamilton said, "[We] see this rather arcane legal argument between the White House and the Congress, both of whom have their set talking points."
Hamilton said the United States should focus on protecting the Libyan people rather than ousting Libyan Leader Moammar Khaddafy immediately.
"[When you move] from protecting people to trying to remove Khaddafy, you change the nature of the game, you give Khaddafy no incentive to step down, and you do not really protect the people of Libya."
Though Hamilton said there is a possibility Khaddafy could "eventually" face removal.
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The first strike in Libya was executed by an F-16 group from a U.S. Air Force Base in Germany.
Lisa,
And your point is??
Edward, read the article.
Go back to the arguments during President Clinton's efforts to get NATO to intervene in Bosnia and there is little difference. We heard the same things--the President has no power to do so, the President does have the power; it is not a war, it is a war. We have been arguing whether the US should or should not intervene to prevent the mass killing of innocents for decades; too often, we did nothing as in Rwanda and Darfur. If the USA is "exceptional" as we often hear claimed, then "exceptional" means using our military might to prevent the mass killing of innocent civilians not just fighting all-out wars as in Afghanistan, Iraq.
Why that's good to hear Jody - you have been for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars from the beginning. All those innocents protected.
How nice. A total crock or libbie-ola, but still nice. I bet Bush will be oh so please to learn of your support.
But tell us Jody, why is it you think Holder and the Pentagon both think Libya ia 100% a war effort?
Just nuke all those MF's and be done with it.
Wrong, I never supported the Iraq War. I was against it from the beginning when Bush started making noises. I was not enthused about Afghanistan either but recognized the danger of Al Qaeda and the Taliban's harboring them. Bush 43 broke both countries and didn't finish the job in Afghanistan before heading to his next one in Iraq. In fact, he didn't finish either war. When the US breaks a country, it has a responsibility to fix the damage or at least stabilize it as much as possible. As a result of Bush's decision to go to Iraq, our military in Afghanistan was left with no real ability to finish the job for 7 years.
Pointing out the fact that these arguments are not new does not automatically means I support wars. What I do not support is sitting and doing nothing to prevent genocide if there is a feasible solution; nor do I support our intervention in every instance. We can only do so much but if we wish to be touted as a beacon of freedom, a nation against repression, then we must be willing to at least stop the killing.
As for nuking all those folks, that's just a dumb and irresponsible solution and comment.
Two years ago I heard many conservative voices bemoaning a lack of action by the United States to support the citizens of Iran who took to the streets to protest the re-election of Ahmedinejad.
Question: How many of those same voices are bemoaning the action being taken by the United States now in Libya?
Say my man - do you recall what many liberal voices were beomoaning about wars two years ago?
I do, and it sure was not that we need to be MORE involved in "bloody wars for oil."
Yep Noid, the good old days, when libbies hated and conservatives loved war. Now, who knows.
Me, I'd like to use that Billion from Libya here, how about you?
Team America, World Police, eh?
What's the matter Noid, libbie time warp got your tongue?
Spanky, The liberal mantra has always been: 'Why bother with the truth, if it gets in the way of your agenda?' For noid, feisty and other libbies at this blog being hypocritical is so natural, they no longer realize it! That may be the reason it is always so difficult to rationally debate a liberal without seeing them turn to name calling as a fall back tactic.
They also like to 'blame Bush' another excuse to avoid answering hard questions about the unusual actions of the President! Debating liberal is always an exercise in frustration!
Bush is to blame... for everything! But at least he's making it easier for Obama to slowly change the country from capitalism to socialism! Given that we can't say Bush was all bad! lol!
I strongly disagree with your sentiments evaperon, but at least your honest enough to admit what Obama is doing!
Despite what you may see at this blog, most Americans are afraid of 'creeping' socialism!
Because most Americans are cowards, like miked, they are afraid of "creeping socialism". Sheeple will believe what they are told to fear.
Paul sounds like a disciple of Obama's cult.... he's drunk the kooaid and wouldn't recognize the truth if it slapped him in the face!
I'm looking forward to the day (Jan 1, 2013) when the phrase "blame it on Obama" will replaced the overused 'blame it on Bush'!
Lee Hamilton? Isn't he the same "democrat" who let Philip Zelikow lie to him, and us, during the 9/11 commission's "investigation"?
Never forget, 9/11 was an inside job, and LEE HAMILTON knows it.
Paul, please take your meds.
Bob: Please grow some intellectual balls. If you can watch the videos of WTC#7 being imploded and not recognize it as a controlled demolition, then you lack the judgement necessary to understand the world we live in.
That's how they breed 'em, Paul.
Sheeple. Like Bob, they can't wait to join the unthinking herd.
Once again bottom line if it was bush#2 doing it... it would have been fine ! No one buys this comment from a has been !
Congo 1998-Present: 3.8-7.8 million killed.
Sudan 1983-Present: 2 million killed.
Libya up through June 18: 2000-13000 killed.
Why are a few thousand Libyans more important than a few million Congonese and Sudanese? What great American interest is served?
Indeed. Must be all that oil. You know like in Iraq and Afghanistan.
USA - World Police! Well maybe not World, maybe just against people we no like-y, like Saddam, Kaddafi and of course, Osama Bin Looking at Porn.
"... congressman Hamilton says the White House and Congress need to stop arguing over the legality of fighting in Libya and start taking action." "... such arguments "divert attention."
And it is so much more than this one instance. Boehmer, teanuts, wingnuts and racists ALL argue and oppose each and every initiative, program, policy and idea President Obama advances, and the entire world sees and knows that it is done in order to "divert attention" as Hamilton points out so that little will actually get accomplished and an anti-Obama talking point may be established for 2012. [i.e., "Whats he done?"]
I am with Hamilton... they need to STOP the arguing and start governing as they were elected to do. Preventing our President from being successful is preventing our NATION from being successful. That, my friends, is harmful to the people, and is actually un-American. If they continue to argue instead of doing their jobs, FIRE THEM AND ELECT SOMEONE WHO
WILLlegislate!I seem to recall Republicans like Newt Gingrich screaming at President Obama to take action to protect innocent civilians in Libya, and as soon as he did, screaming at the President for doing it (in fact, Jey Leno, who is not a liberal, used that as monologue fodder for several evenings in a row).
What's up with that? Oh, just the usual effort to portray the President as wrong no matter what he does. Why should he pay attention to the people who have said right out that they want him to fail, anyway?
Kerry and McCain are just trying to warm up their relevancy seats. They are both losers and nobody cares what either of them think. Hamilton is right and we need to get out of Libya before it gets away from us. We have no business there. If we are going to protect peoples lives, lets go to Sudan, Syria, back to Somalia and the Congo. It is all about saving innocent lives, isn't it?
Who knew this President would use the military like he has. Nobel Peace Prize, anyone?
The lot of you are a disgrace to the people who really count. Your families and friends. All my Family and Friends are american born and raised as was I. I can give a toads butt as to the problems in other nations...problem is our leaders Democrat and republican in all their wisdom decided for us regular joes that it was ok to police the entire fffing world. Now they are up to their eyeballs in something they cannot fix just like our economy. I hope they burn for 1000 yrs in hells fire for they have done.....as for the rest of you;get your s@%t together and start supporting the nation that gave you a life worth living before it is snatched from cold dead hands by the very same people The U.S. is supposedly helping. Jesus buy a friggin clue you knuckleheads.
If we are "policing the world", why are we not being paid for doing so by the people we protect and serve? It should be a money making proposition for us to risk our blood to help others.
Who are the politicians who support military interventions, but then refuse to charge a market rate for that protective service?
Good point Paul,
Lets reap the bounty of these nations. If they have oil, then it becomes our oil. If they have ancient artifacts, they also become ours. Any scientists become ours.
There must be something we can use in every @!$%#ry we help. And breaking even won't cut it. $1 Million for every dead soldier. Total rembursement for all our material costs including management and advice. Then add 10% to everything. See who asks for our assistance then.
Breaking news.
Obama's approval rating fell 5% in just 12 hours. Don't have any details quite yet.
Breaking news or not, if it reflects badly on Barack Obama, you wont read it first at First Read. In fact, you may never hear about it.