Just when D.C. thought it was safe to ignore Libya, divisions between Congress and the White House over strategy and debate over which branch(es) of government has the power to wage war brought the conflict back to the forefront this week.
I generally try to avoid parroting conventional wisdom. But in this case I was among those who reported ($$) -- as many on Capitol Hill believed -- that Rep. Dennis Kucinich's resolution demanding the withdrawal of troops from Libya was not expected to pass.
Clearly, that's what the House leadership anticipated when they scheduled a vote on the resolution Wednesday. The blowback they received from the rank-and-file sent both them and the White House scrambling to avoid a major legislative and political snafu. Ultimately they delayed the vote ($$), but if we've learned anything, it's that lawmaker discontent on Libya is not likely to die a quiet death.
UPDATE - 6/4:
With the delay, Speaker John Boehner and the House GOP leadership bought time to create a more palatable alternative -- a non-binding resolution requiring the president to justify to Congress the U.S. military's ongoing role in Libya. Boehner and other Republicans say there will be consequences if the president does not satisfy Congress' outstanding questions and concerns, but it's hard to see the leadership allowing members to cut off funding for the troops flying sorties over Tripoli.
Declarations about the War Powers Act and the separation of powers can make for compelling political theater, but holding up the cash flow for the mission is the only real tangible way Congress can head off Obama's Libya gambit.
I generally try to avoid parroting conventional wisdom. But in this case I was among those who reported ($$) -- as many on Capitol Hill believed -- that Rep. Dennis Kucinich's resolution demanding the withdrawal of troops from Libya was not expected to pass.
Clearly, that's what the House leadership anticipated when they scheduled a vote on the resolution Wednesday. The blowback they received from the rank-and-file sent both them and the White House scrambling to avoid a major legislative and political snafu. Ultimately they delayed the vote ($$), but if we've learned anything, it's that lawmaker discontent on Libya is not likely to die a quiet death.
UPDATE - 6/4:
With the delay, Speaker John Boehner and the House GOP leadership bought time to create a more palatable alternative -- a non-binding resolution requiring the president to justify to Congress the U.S. military's ongoing role in Libya. Boehner and other Republicans say there will be consequences if the president does not satisfy Congress' outstanding questions and concerns, but it's hard to see the leadership allowing members to cut off funding for the troops flying sorties over Tripoli.
Declarations about the War Powers Act and the separation of powers can make for compelling political theater, but holding up the cash flow for the mission is the only real tangible way Congress can head off Obama's Libya gambit.
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