Will Congress Stand Together on Libya?

Jake Wilson / June 14, 2011

After backpedaling on debating S. Res. 194, a resolution on the use of U.S. military force and operations in Libya, Senator John Kerry (D–MA), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has finally decided to hold a meeting this Thursday to mark up the resolution.

The House of Representatives took the lead two weeks ago by passing a resolution prohibiting ground troops and demanding more details on U.S. operations in Libya. While the resolution is nonbinding, it did increase the pressure on the Senate to follow suit, especially since the resolution was supported by 45 Democrats. The White House claims, however, that it will “endeavor to answer” all questions about the intervention, but that promise remains unkept.

Congress needs to insist that the Obama Administration engage with lawmakers and reach an agreement on a strategy in Libya. But time is running out as Congressional members become increasingly agitated by the Administration’s lack of strategy and engagement. According to Heritage’s James Carafano, “More and more lawmakers seem to coming to the opinion that the president’s Libyan ‘strategy’ is little more than hope—and they don’t like it.” (more…)