President Obama Dismisses Libya Criticisms
by Publius
Posted July 05, 2011, 10:12 AM
The Washington Times reports that President Obama, speaking to the media last week for the first time after the House of Representatives voted down an authorization of U.S. military involvement in Libya, said that the legal and constitutional criticisms of his decisions in Libya were "noise" and that "(a) lot of this fuss is politics."
The President stated in the White House East Room news conference:
We have engaged in a limited operation to help a lot of people against one of the worst tyrants in the world, somebody who nobody should want to defend. And this suddenly becomes the cause celebre for some folks in Congress? Come on.
Members of both parties in Congress have criticized the President for going beyond the original support mission in Libya and for violating the 1973 War Powers Resolution by not seeking authorization from Congress in the military venture, which began over three months ago.
In the Senate, the Foreign Relations Committee has approved a resolution purporting to allow President Obama to continue the Libyan military mission for up to a year with a 14-5 vote. This, however, came after the House voted down a resolution offering support for the mission last week.
Click here to listen to a podcast from the Federalist Society's International & National Security Law Practice Group on "The President's Authority in Libya," featuring Prof. Saikrishna Prakash of the University of Virginia School of Law, Mr. David Rivkin of Baker & Hostetler, Prof. Peter J. Spiro of Temple University's Beasley School of Law, and Hon. Edwin D. Williamson of Sullivan & Cromwell. Hon. Ronald A. Cass of Cass & Associates moderates.