For Immediate Release:
Republican Liberty Caucus Condemns U.S. Military Action Against Libya
Attacks Violate Constitutional Requirement to Obtain Approval from Congress
WASHINGTON, DC — The Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) National Committee has voted unanimously to condemn the Obama Administration’s military action against Libya.
The RLC resolution notes that the situation in Libya does not constitute a direct threat to the United States and that military action has not been authorized by Congress as required by the War Powers Act and the United States Constitution. “At a time when we should be cutting back our foreign military involvement, the president’s action is as irresponsible as it is unconstitutional.” said RLC National Chair Dave Nalle of Austin, Texas.
As RLC member and Congressman from Michigan’s Third District Justin Amash recently noted,
“It’s not enough for the President simply to explain military actions in Libya to the American people after the fact — as though we are serfs. When there is no imminent threat to our country, he cannot launch strikes without authorization from th American people, through elected Representatives in Congress. No United Nations resolution or congressional act permits the President to circumvent the Constitution.”
In an interview in the Boston Globe in 2007, then-Senator Barack Obama shared his view on the matter, saying, “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.” Why are those words any less true today than they were when he spoke them only four years ago?
“President Obama seems to have taken this action solely on the authorization of the United Nations without consideration of the best interests of the United States or the limits which the Constitution places on the power of the president,” said RLC Chairman Dave Nalle. “The greatest threats to the safety of our citizens today are the reckless spending and dangerous fiscal policies of this administration. The President should do what he swore in his oath — uphold the Constitution. Instead, he continues to push a Big Government, freedom-crushing agenda that has not resulted in economic prosperity in our country.”
The Republican Liberty Caucus is working to raise awareness of the problems with United States intervention in Libya. As Congressman Amash observed, “The cost to American taxpayers will be substantial. We cannot spend money we don’t have on a war we don’t need.”
According to RLC Chairman Dave Nalle, “Our state chapters and our nationwide network of activists will be contacting their legislators to remind them of the traditional Republican foreign policy and the party’s historical commitment to constitutionally limited government. Our members demand an immediate end to military action by U.S. forces in Libya,” concluded Nalle.
