More than 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles struck over 20 targets inside Libya today in the opening phase of an international military operation the Pentagon said was aimed at stopping attacks led by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and enforcing a U.N.-backed no-fly zone. President Obama, speaking from Brazil shortly after he authorized the missile attacks, said they were part of a “limited military action” to protect the Libyan people.
“I want the American people to know that the use of force is not our first choice and it’s not a choice I make lightly,” Obama said. “But we cannot stand idly by when a tyrant tells his people that there will be no mercy.”
The first air strikes, in what is being called Operation Odyssey Dawn, were launched from a mix of U.S. surface ships and one British submarine in the Mediterranean Sea at 2 p.m. ET, Vice Adm. William E. Gortney told reporters at a Pentagon briefing.
They targeted Libyan air defense missile sites, early warning radar and key communications facilities around Tripoli, Misratah, and Surt, but no areas east of that or near Benghazi. Because of darkness over Libya, Gortney said it was too early to determine the strikes’ effectiveness.
#129–Ah Yea==not surprising given that Boner supported the Presidents action with only the smallest of quibbles.
Why do you support an Imperial Presidency?
The impeachment thing. It’s turned into a sheeple rallying circus since the GOP proceeded with impeachment for the cock-sucking incident.
I expect impeachment proceedings for every single president till the current empire is over and we start all over again.
Yet another gift that keeps on giving from the GOP.
This should have happened last week.
The difference between Obama and Bush jr. is Obama waited until there was a UN Security Council Resolution. Bush didn’t, he just went ahead and invaded after lying to Congress and the world.
…
If there weren’t so many lives being lost to this madman and his mercenaries, it would be funny how last week the Regressives were calling for action and now they condemn Obama for following up. Yes, they are hypocrites. At least they are consistent about that.
…
For those who hate war of any kind, I understand. Only sometimes you have to use violence to stop a greater evil. It doesn’t take clairvoyance to know what would have happened to those who wanted democracy in Libya if the UN didn’t intercede.
And yes, Yemen and Bahrain should not receive any special consideration. They too need should listen to the people. The difference however, is their leaders aren’t dropping bombs or indiscriminately firing machine guns into crowds.
Alfie–other than getting parsimoney exactly backwards, your evaluation of the teaparty “concern” is pretty close. The gap is that the concern is represented by politicians and who knows what with them. Quite a few pander to the interest to get their votes, then won’t even join their caucus, just another corruption that even public financing won’t cure.
Whats the spread on Libya right now? Still looks like about 50/50 to me. Everyone lying and posturing so its hard as always to evaluate based on “news.” Go thru the news to the physics, things that don’t change or are well accepted and apply generally. Eg–desert favors war machines, eg–war machines subject to advanced detection/monitoring, eg–paid mercenaries don’t hang in to the bitter end, eg–KDaffy is truly despised by everyone not needing his oil or getting paid. Yes, still 50/50.
So I guess the nuclear reactor in Japan must be completely fixed and working, and all the damage from the earthquake and tsunami has been repaired, since it’s not headline news any more.
alfie–define parsethemoney?
Meanwhile Obama plays soccer in Rio: http://tinyurl.com/458gy37
#144 Guyver
http://huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/24/boehner-golfing-senate-dems-tee-off_n_827899.html
And your point is?
Oh, no! not a photo op with Brazilian kids! The noive!
Ho. Ly. Crap!
I disappear for a year and come back and nothing has changed.
ConFusion/Dallas, I swear if Obama took a dump on your dining room table, you would defend him by saying he at least wiped his feet before he came in the house. Bush wouldn’t have done that!
It’s time to fess up and realize that this man has not done one thing he said he was going to do and doesn’t plan to.
Misanthropic Scott — we had a conversation going when I took a hiatus. If you wish to continue, let me know.
Now . . . where did I put that bobbo filter . . ?
145, TCC3,
Really? That’s your best rebuttal? You compare a budgetary pissing contest between Dems & Repubs to that of Obama getting U.S. troops involved with a foreign country’s civil war?
ROFLMAO. 🙂
LibertyLoser as I recall? Has it been a year? Surely not. You’d have to learn “something” in that time, yet you continue to post like a 12 yo girl on Facebook? Ha, ha. Personality Posting. Fail.
Scott hardly posts here anymore. Just a bit more on the Cage Match, and his own blog.
McGuyver–gee, I thought Tcc3’s response was markedly better than your initial post. He did pose a direct relevant question to you which you ignored going for the simple minded bait instead. give it 5 minutes, Liberty Loser will try to give you some help. Probably fail again, but who knows?
149, Bobbo,
149, Bobbo,
Straw-Man argument is a direct “relevant” question to our commander-in-chief playing a game with children as he involves U.S. military troops in a foreign civil war? I suppose only in the twisted mind of a liberal where everything is morally equivalent.
Obama playing soccer illustrates how lightly he takes his responsibilities as commander-in-chief. Boehner playing golf while waiting on Dems to realize that the American people want them to be fiscally conservative isn’t even in the same league.
But I get it… you guys feel a lack of entitlement programs in a tough economy is life and death. 🙂
Hah, hah. Not really worth a doubling down.
I don’t know how much of our disagreements really are, or its just exercise, but you really are uniformly very shallow and uninformed.
One of the worst decisions Carter ever made was to hole up in the WhiteHouse “until the hostages are released.” Made him look weak and ineffectual–which he was.
Powerful competent men can do more than one thing at a time. Hence we have Obama doing whatever the frick he wants while his Generals run the engagement. What do you think Generals are for Guyver? Just a knee jerk totally stupid talking point on your point.
But speaking of BushtheRetard, the same rule does apply such as when he spent all that time in Texass clearing weeds. A powerful competent man can do more than one task at a time which is why Cheney and Rove were in DC running the government.
See how that works?
Alphie,
You are still a delusional asshole.
152, Bobbo,
Now there’s the self-centered ego-centric Bobbo I’ve known to love. 🙂
But only when a Liberal is running the show, right? A non-liberal would obviously lack any leadership (which is why he’d need the aide of his subordinates).
Wasn’t speaking of Bush. Clearing weeds as in golfing? As in the pre-9/11 footage Michael Moore tried to use in his documentary and pass off as Bush golfing during the Iraq War? Now there’s some intellectual “honesty”. 🙂
Last I heard, Bush stopped golfing when the Iraq War kicked off because he felt it would be looked at in poor taste while U.S. Troops were in combat (not that Obama agrees).
Swing and a miss.
Ha, ha.
So much projection on your part to try and divide an opinion based on party politics. Now, true, I did it as a joke. Did you?
155, Bobbo,
Does it matter? 🙂
I think if you take a closer look, the only “party politics” comments I made were in response to others.
My comment was he was playing soccer while this was going on. If you want to twist that into my divide opinions based on party politics, then that’s certainly your prerogative.
If Guyver backpedals any harder the chain is going to come off.
I’m sure you we’re just commenting on the Presidents goaltending.
Well, let me repeat for the 4th time: what was your point? That Obama should be on a tactical radio directing whether or not to take out a tank or three truck or an AA battery?
No. Your comment is so inane it must come from an anti-Obama mindless set of some sort.
Prove me wrong. I gave you Carter as the sort of shit pie you want to serve up. Generals run war and absent the decision to go in, any Pres is best performing when the get out of the way.
What do you want, your hand held, or your pud pulled?
Silly.
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.
As Commander-in-Chief, the President does have a duty to protect and defend the United States. In instances of self-defense, the President would be within his constitutional authority to act before advising Congress or seeking its consent. History has shown us time and again, however, that military action is most successful when it is authorized and supported by the Legislative branch. It is always preferable to have the informed consent of Congress prior to any military action.
From a professor of Constitutional Law
158, Bobbo,
4th time, eh? Interesting how you perceive your line of questioning. 🙂
I quite clearly stated: “Obama playing soccer illustrates how lightly he takes his responsibilities as commander-in-chief.” in post 151. That was my first exchange with you. No need for your imaginary dramatics. 🙂
Not playing games with kids while he’s taking orders from the U.N. to bomb another country caught in a civil war would be good for starters.
LOL. You’re definitely a dedicated Obamabot.
All this from my criticism that he’s better off not playing soccer while he obeys his U.N. masters? Wow! Sounds like I struck a nerve. LOL.
You see what you want to see.
If you’re offering, then I wish to be clear that I don’t swing that way. If you became gay by accident, there’s an app for that. Go here: http://tinyurl.com/4qetncw
#159, And I would bet a $100 bill congress would not have authorized going to war with Libya.
I think this guarantees Dennis Kucinich is going to run in the primary.
Irrelevant Mike==of course the Pres “has the power.” You have confused the concept of power with the concept of a right or authorization. common mistake as are most of your notions.
Irrelevant LibertyLoser–making bets that can’t be proved one way or the other huh? Very insightful.
Irrelevant McGuyver–mindless criticism, repeatedly challenged, never answered. WHAT COULD/SHOULD OBAMA DO TO MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS? We’ll wait while you quibble and evade some more.
So, what have we got here?
1.–Irrelevant, Wrong.
2.–Irrelevant, gambling on null events.
3.–Irrelevant, Mindless, evasive, quibbling.
Looks like McGuyver is winning the puke race with Irrelevant being the favored strategy.
Yep, definitely need to put my filter back in.
Day #1 of Libya attack – $100 million
http://goo.gl/fKMsF
Oil hit $116.19 a barrel
The in-depth liberal media coverage?
Photo ops of Obama playing soccer in Brazil
#165 jbenson2
Wait, I thought the soccer playing was bad? If the “liberal media” was in the tank for Obama shouldn’t they gloss over that? Show some footage of him pondering the situation in Libya?
I’d ask the conservative cheerleaders here to make up their minds, but its clear you’re accustomed to having that done for you.
#166 tcc3
Here is how the AP spun the issue. Underneath the photo was the statement:
“Obama, adeptly juggling a soccer ball, as his aides helped him juggle his agenda.”