House rebukes Obama on Libya, but passes wrong resolution

I have to disagree with John Boehner and the GOPers for not passing Rep. Dennis Kucinich resolution that would have called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 15 days.

In this instance as I have said in the past, the GOP is missing an opportunity to become the “anti-war” party and argue that Iraq and Afghanistan is won. It’s a win-win proposition.

If the Dems want to argue against it, fine, they’re not used to making those kinds of arguments. If they agree, then the troops come home and a lot of money IS NOT SPENT!

The Hill

The House on Friday approved a resolution from House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) that scolds the Obama administration for failing to seek congressional authority under the War Powers Act for military operations in Libya.

The resolution demands more information about the scope, cost and duration of the intervention. Members rejected a similar Democratic resolution that would have required the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Libya within 15 days.
The House accepted Boehner's resolution in a 268-145 vote. Forty-five Democrats joined all but 10 Republicans in favor of the measure.

In a 148-265 vote, the House rejected a resolution from Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio). In this vote, 144 Republicans and 121 Democrats voted against the measure; it was supported by 87 Republicans and 61 Democrats.

Support for Boehner's resolution was never really in doubt, as it was developed in large part to provide a less drastic alternative to Kucinich's increasingly popular language. Several members noted they would vote for both resolutions, and saw them as compatible.

But in putting forward the Boehner resolution, Republicans were forced to acknowledge that they largely support ongoing military action in Libya, despite their complaints about Presidennt Obama's failure to consult Congress. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) described these competing issues during the debate: "We must not let our frustration with the president's contempt for Congress cloud our judgment and result in our taking action that would harm our standing, our credibility and our interests in the region."

Boehner took to the floor early in the debate to argue that the U.S. does in fact have security interests in Libya that are being addressed by a military presence.

"In my view, the gentleman's resolution goes too far," Boehner said of Kucinich's proposal. "We may have differences regarding how we got here, but we cannot turn backs on our troops and our NATO partners who have stuck by us over the last 10 years."

More here


Memeoradum