(A)dministration officials and military leaders came under a barrage of questions — raised by members of Congress, outside experts and reporters — about the parameters of U.S. participation and the operation’s goals, especially if Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi does not capitulate.
“There have been lots of options which have been discussed, but I think it’s very uncertain how this ends,” Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged on CBS’s “Face the Nation.’’
Mullen, who appeared on five television talk shows, was pressed repeatedly to define the mission and its objectives. “I think circumstances will drive where this goes in the future,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.’’
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Monday, March 21, 2011
Open Ended
Defined:
KT,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. I believe that once the imminent threat of slaughter of civilians is ended by our enforcement of a no-fly zone, no further military action is allowed. Interestingly, Obama seems to be taking a broader view of Presidential power under the war powers act than even Bush did. Of course, his view is at odds with his campaign rhetoric.
Obama 2008 quote from the link:
The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.