IsObamabringingdemocracyinLibyabyshredding USConstitution?

TobeginletusgobackinDecember20,2007whenthethenSenatorBarakObamasaidthepresident doesnothavepowerundertheConstitutiontounilaterallyauthorizeamilitaryattackinasituationthat doesnotinvolvestoppinganactualorimminentthreattothenation.PresidentcandidateObama earlierinthesameyearofAugust1saidNomoreignoringthelawwhenit'sinconvenient.Thatisnot whoweare....Wewillagainsetanexamplefortheworldthatthelawisnotsubjecttothewhimsof stubbornrulers.LibyawasnothreattotheUSwhenPresidentBarakObamaraisedwagedwarinLibya. Hisadministrationdefendedhisactionontwogrounds;a)thepresidentisempoweredbythe1973war poweracttowagewarfor60daysandb)thenatureofthemissionwasnotawarsinceitwasmorelike a"timelimited,welldefinedanddiscrete"action.Fromtheverybeginningtheseclaimswerespecious andnowhasturnedtobeinapplicable.Thewarpoweractunderthesubtitlepurposeandpolicy (section2/C/3)clearlyspeaksaboutthestateunderwhichtheUSpresidentcantakesuchactionsimilar toLibya"anationalemergencycreatedbyattackupontheUnitedStates,itsterritoriesorpossessions, oritsarmedforces.BruceAkermananYaleLawprofessortherefore,saidthattheWPAdoesnot authoriseasingledayLibyanbombingandthatsuchactisbreakingnewgroundinitsconstructionofan imperialpresidency. On21stMayPresidentBarakObamasentalettertotheUScongresstosupportabipartisanresolution favouringmilitaryoperationinLibya.Hesenttheletteronthe60thdaysincethebombardmentonLibya started.Ontheotherhandthisdaywasthedeadlinedayaccordingtothe1973warpoweractwhich statesthatpresidentmustgetcongressionalauthorizationwithin60daysofanymilitaryoperation, failingofwhichwillresultinstopofthemissioninnext30days.30days!Enoughtocompletean invasionbytheUSasweallknowIraqinvasiontookonly21daysinmajorcombatoperation.Butthis notthepointofdiscussionhere,thepointislegitimacythepresidentdidnotmentiontheword authorisation.Obamaearlierthisyearon21MarchsentalettertothecongressnotifyinghisLibya missiontooustLibyanleaderGaddafionthegroundthatthelatercommittedcrimeagainsthumanity. ButfornowletustalkaboutthelawPresidentObamamaynotagreebutthereisalawandthelawis anysuchmissionhastobestoppedwithinthenext30days.AsCaliforniaDemocratRepresentativeBrad ShermanhaspointedoutthatObamaistryingto"bringdemocracytoLibyawhileshreddingthe ConstitutionoftheUnitedStates."Headded"HecannotcontinuewhatheisdoinginLibyawithout congressionalauthorization.Whenapresidentdefiantlyviolatesthelaw,thatreallyundercutsour effortstourgeothercountriestohavetheruleoflaw".TheUSpresidentalsocameunderfirefrom RepublicanSenatorRandPaulfromKentuckywhohastermedsuchunauthorisedmilitaryactionas appallingandterribleprecedence.Butthisisnotallthewarpoweractalsostatesthatthe presidentmustseekcongressionalapprovalbeforeanymilitaryaction. Thenwhatwashappenedduringthese60daysnothinginfact.Obamaadministrationsimplykept asidethisagenda;Democratcongressionalleadershipdidnotshowanyinterestandrepublicandidnot evenbotheraboutwhatwasgoingon.ObamainhisMarch21lettertotheCongressdescribedthe Libyanoperationinconsistencewiththewarpowerresolution.Interestinglythejusticedepartmentin anopiniononApril1acknowledgedthe60dayrulebutdidnotquestionitsconstitutionalityrather concludedthatPresidentObamacouldrelyonhisconstitutionalpowertosafeguardthenational

interestbydirectingtheanticipatedmilitaryoperationsinLibyawhichwerelimitedintheirnature, scope,anddurationwithoutpriorcongressionalauthorization. Nowcomesthequestion,thenwhyObamadidnotpressthecongresstoauthorizeitbeforethe deadline.ArgumentmaybetheresinceNATOisnowrunningtheUSinitiatedoperationodyssey dawnunderanewtitleoperationunifiedprotectortheWPAisnotapplicableinthiscase.But AdmiralJamesStavridissinceJuly12009hasbeenholdingthepositionofSupremeAlliedCommander EuropewhileCharlesBouchardaCanadianAirForceGeneralisinthechangeoftheNATOsLibya mission.ButStavridisasheadoftheUSEuropeancommandreportstothePentagon.Now,whodoes notthatNATOisservingAmericaninterestssinceitsinceptionin1949. Interestinglypresidentsofbothpartieshaveoftenforgottenthispart.StillpresidentBush,priorto launchofAfghanistanandIraqinvasiondidmanagetogetcongressionalapproval.Intherecentpast thereisnoprecedentofcontinuingmilitaryoperationbeyond60days.Theprecedentthatissocloseto presentstateisthatofPresidentClintonsactionsinKosovoconflictthatlastedfor78days.Hisfailedto getcongressionalapprovalbefore60daysdeadlinewasover.Hisadministrationthenarguedthatsince thecongresshadapprovedrequiredmoneyforKosovooperation,theoperationwasalreadyapproved. ButLibyanscenarioisquitedifferentfromKosovo.ThebestpartforObamaisthatveryfewlawmakers areinterestedonthistopic.Theyarejustlettingthepresidentdowhateverhewants.Allitstartedwith threewordsnoflyzoneandafterwardshundredsofcruisemissileslandedintheLibyansoil.TheUS congressseemstobelittlebotheredthatcommanderinchiefsefforttobringdemocracyinLibyais underminingthedemocracyandruleoflawintheUS.Unlessthereisnodramaticdevelopmentinthe UScongress,thewarpoweractmaysuccumbtoitsinjurieswhichwasbornin1973immediateafterthe bloodyVietnamWaramidPresidentNixonsvetoandwasintendedtorestraintpresidentialwarmaking andestablishcongressssoleauthoritytogetinvolvedinsuchmilitaryconflicts. ToconcludetyrantslikeGaddafimustgoandtheworldmustreacttosavehumanlivesbut indiscriminatebombingofcruisemissilesisperhaps,notthebestway. MeerAhsanHabibisadevelopmentactivistsandfreelancewriter. Thearticleappearedinthewww.opinion.bdnews24.comon25May2011