Obama: I Don’t Need Congress

By Caomhin

Obama just simply does not want to abide by the War Powers Act.  He has done everything he possibly can to avoid following the rule of law refusing to seek authorization from Congress for the Libyan mission.  From Jack Tapper of ABC News:

In an effort to satisfy those arguing he needs to seek congressional authorization to continue US military activity in accordance with the War Powers Resolution, President Obama wrote a letter to congressional leaders this afternoon suggesting that the role is now so “limited” he does not need to seek congressional approval.

Obama is attempting to manipulate his stated positions in a fashion that would have the left howling had Bush attempted the same strategy. Of course, Bush never did what Obama is now doing.  Essentially Obama invoked the War Powers Act in order to being the mission in Libya.  This act specifically states that the President has 60 days to receive Congressional authorization for the use of force.  Today, this window has expired and now Obama is singing a different tune.

Now, Obama is arguing that the types of military resources used as well as the kind of military units being utilized mean that he does not need Congressional authorization to bomb foreign nations.  Essentially this leads to one of two conclusions. The first would be that Obama used the War Powers Act in the hopes that Congress would simply give him the green light, but Congress saw things differently.  The second would be that Obama simply used the War Powers Act but never intended to following it by seeking Congressional authorization. 

There also exists a possibility that Obama actually feels that since NATO is essentially leading the mission (albeit with US resources) that he can authorize whatever he feels like authorizing since we are not technically leading the mission.  The idiocy of this view is mind numbing, however.  I imagine that even for the most avowed leftist believing that sending American troops into harm’s way under the leadership of an international force without Congressional approval would simply be unacceptable.  No matter the case, his statements today illustrate that the end remains the same.  Obama feels that he can do as he pleases without Congressional authorization and he will justify this in any manner that he can.  This stance is deplorable and reeks of arrogance.