One Week Left!

President Obama illegally and unconstitutionally declared war on Libya almost two months ago without receiving, or even seeking, Congressional authorization.

“…approximately 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on March 19, 2011, at my direction, U.S. military forces commenced operations to assist an international effort authorized by the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council and undertaken with the support of European allies and Arab partners, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and address the threat posed to international peace and security by the crisis in Libya.”

Apart from laughably coining the term “kinetic military action” to claim that this is not a “war”, the only fig leaf provided for Obama’s actions has been the (arguably false) claim that he was operating under the War Powers Resolution of 1973 (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548)

The notification was part of the president’s “efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution”

Well, it’s put up or shut up time now. The War Powers Resolution only allows the President to run his little war for sixty days without Congress authorizing further action. As he has, to the best of my knowledge, neither received nor even sought Congressional authorization to continue, his time is up one week from today.

The War Powers Resolution requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30 day withdrawal period, without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.

If he doesn’t cease operations and start pulling our forces back next week, he will clearly be acting in open and deliberate defiance of the law and the Constitution. Will the media report this? Will the Congress hold him accountable? Does this constitute High Crimes and Misdemeanors? Stay tuned…