Where Do You Stand On Libya?
Whether you are against Muammar Qadhafi and his regime or not, it must be recognized that enforcing a no fly zone over Libya is tantamount to a declaration of war. Both Admiral Mullen and Defense Secretary Gates have acknowledged that to enforce a no fly zone would require the destruction of Libyan air defense capabilities, amounting to an attack on Libya, a sovereign state that has not attacked the US and a country where the U.S. has very little if any interests.
Granted the civilian casualties are atrocious and the U.N. has voted to take all steps necessary to protect the civilian population, our Constitution provides that the Congress make declarations of war, in Article. I. Section. 8. “The Congress shall have Power to declare War, grant letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water”, although the President is “Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States”, he has no such power to declare war.
It is the duty of the Congress to take the U.N. resolution under consideration, to debate the proper course of action and to weigh the U.S. options and expense. The U.S. Congress must make the decision to invade a sovereign state under a declaration of war and it is the President’s responsibility as Commander in Chief to carry out such declaration. It is the duty of the Congress to appropriate the funds and to determine the scope of the war effort if a declaration of war is to be made. Are we to just enforce a no fly zone along with other allied partners, who is in control of such an allied effort, what branches of our military will be committed, are we only to protect civilians, are we wanting a regime change, are we supporting the rebels, how much money are we authorizing the expenditure of, these and a litany of other questions are up to the Congress to debate and authorize action upon.
Keeping tight rein on Constitutionally limited powers in a case such as this should fall under the Tea Party’s aim to restore Constitutionally limited government. We must insist that the U.S. Congress stop abdicating it’s responsibility and take up the debate on an authorization and declaration of war. We must insist that the President present before the Congress and seek such authorization, as the U.S. Constitution requires. To require the Congress to debate and authorize the spending in such a war effort should come under the Tea Party’s goal to restore fiscal responsibility and cut spending. We should insist that the Congress appropriate the funds and establish limits to the spending and scope of the conflict or to direct the President to withdraw our troops.
Remember, every penny spent on this new war effort will add directly to the deficit unless the Congress will vote to redirect other funds, which is unlikely given the resistance they have exhibited toward making any substantive spending cuts.
I urge all of you to contact your Representatives and Senators and ask them to take up the debate on the declaration of war against Libya and to set the rules for the engagement and appropriate the funds to do so, if the Congress concurs, as the Constitution requires. You may reach their offices at (202)-224-3121 or Toll Free (877)-762-8762. You can also reach them at their local offices, email or fax, by going here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/
Thank You, for all that you do for Freedom!
For Liberty’s Sake,
Tom Whitmore
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