I think we're about to declare war on Libya

No!

The USA already has filled its quota of Middle Eastern conflicts.

I know, but seriously, this is going to happen. We're now supporting it at the UN.

Doesn't something like this take an act of Congress?

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaking during a visit to Tunisia, said that a no-fly zone would ?require certain actions taken to protect the planes and the pilots, including bombing targets like the Libyan defense systems.?

A French foreign ministry official said France and Britain, with cooperation from one or two Arab countries, would be prepared to start carrying out a resolution as soon as it was approved, within a matter of hours. NATO planners this week presented alliance political leaders with final plans for various military options in Libya.

The United States has five warships off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean, and it was unclear what role, if any, U.S. forces would play in any initial enforcement actions. The French official, who spoke anonymously under conditions laid out by the foreign ministry, said Britain and France were prepared to act without U.S. direct participation, or with a limited U.S. role.

Italy last week told NATO that its land bases could be used for enforcement of a no-fly zone.

Although NATO has been planning for possible action in Libya as a group, the resolution authorizes action by U.N. members ?acting nationally or through regional organizations,? and France has said its air forces would be ready to commence operations ? most likely targeting runways and air defenses ? as early as Thursday evening. Britain has also expressed interest, but has made no official statement.

A senior NATO official expressed some consternation at France?s eagerness, and said French forces were unlikely to take full-scale action until at least Saturday. ?On the NATO side,? the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, ?we?re not yet ready? and the alliance has not formally approved plans for a specific operation. But ?we could move within days,? he said.

Although the Pentagon has participated in NATO planning, the U.S. military has not yet made final decisions nor has the White House approved any specific American actions. ?I don?t think we?re there yet,? a U.S. official said, noting that the United States can ?do things the French can?t,? including the use of B-2 bombers and cruise missiles.

Europeans say intervention in Libya possible within hours of U.N. vote - The Washington Post

Call your congressman, call your senator..

Breaking news

U.N. Security Council approves measures including no-fly zone to try to halt Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's advances.

I think France and Britain should handle this one for a while.

A little more info...

On a 10 to 0 vote with five abstentions, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the international community to take ?all necessary measures? to protect civilians in Libya.The resolution demands an ?immediate cease-fire in Libya, the complete end of violence and all attacks against and abuse of civilians,? and unspecified action to protect ?civilians and civilian population areas under threat of attack." It also establishes a ban on all flights in the airspace of Libya except for humanitarian and evacuation flights.

hot damn, another oil war for the corporations!!!!!!!

The top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committeeargued against implementing a no-fly zone over Libya on Thursday, and also saidthat Congress must pass a formal declaration of war if the Obama administrationdecides to take that step.

"Clearly, the United States shouldbe engaged with allies on how to oppose the Qaddafi regime and support the aspirationsof the Libyan people," said Sen. RichardLugar (R-IN) at the start of the committee's Thursday morning hearing onthe Middle East. "But given the costs of a no-flyzone, the risks that our involvement would escalate, the uncertain reception inthe Arab street of any American intervention in an Arab country, the potentialfor civilian deaths, the unpredictability of the endgame in a civil war, thestrains on our military, and other factors, I am doubtful that U.S. interestswould be served by imposing a no-fly zone over Libya."

Lugar pointed to the fact that145,000 American troops are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, andthat the annual U.S. budget deficit is already around $1.5 trillion.

"In this broad context, if the Obamaadministration decides to impose a no-fly zone or take other significantmilitary action in Libya, I believe it should first seek a Congressional debateon a declaration of war under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution," Lugarsaid.

Lugar's stance against imposing a no-flyzone puts him at odds with committee chairman John Kerry (D-MA), who supports the move. Kerry didn't mention theno-fly zone in his opening remarks on Thursday. However, he did say that "Thewill of the Libyan people will in my judgment prevail," contradicting lastweek's testimony by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who predicted that Qaddafi would win out.

Kerryalso argued that America's reliance on foreign oil had led to a misguidedforeign policy in the Middle East.

Lugar: No-fly zone requires declaration of war - By Josh Rogin | The Cable

Anti-war republicans and war mongering democrats. My head is spinning.

europe needs oil, we need a break

Polls show Americans are against this by a big majority, so I hope the neo dems and the neo cons are listening.

Favor: 25%
Oppose: 65%
Unknown: 9%

http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/libya2.pdf

This is an incredibly stupid move. :bang:

WTF are they thinking!!!

France is SO on my sheet list.

Diplomacy through strength?

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Breaking News Alert: Foreign minister says Libya is declaring a cease-fire
March 18, 2011 8:59:16 AM
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Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa says Libya is declaring an immediate cease-fire and stopping all military operations.

Friday?s decision comes after the United Nations voted to authorize a no-fly zone and "all necessary measures" to protect the Libyan people, including airstrikes.

This is an incredibly stupid move. :bang:

WTF are they thinking!!!

France is SO on my sheet list.

"They"? The Obama Adminsitration approved the measure at the U.N.. Without our vote, it would not have gone through.

Where's the anti-war left on this? Where's the outrage?

Where's the anti-war left on this? Where's the outrage?

This is one military action that actually makes sense. My only reservations stem from the fact that we are already caught up in other conflicts.

This is one military action that actually makes sense. My only reservations stem from the fact that we are already caught up in other conflicts.

So you're in favor of invading sovereign nations to promote a certain group of leaders and form of government. eenteresting. Where have I seen that before?

Especially when one of those nations is one of the top ten oil producing states.

With domestic consumption of 284,000 bbl/d (45,200 m3/d) in 2006, Libya had estimated net exports (including all liquids) of 1.525 million bpd. The majority of Libyan oil exports are sold to European countries, such as Italy (495,000 bpd), Germany (253,000 bpd), Spain (113,000 bpd), and France (87,000 bpd). After the lifting of sanctions against Libya in 2004, the United States has gradually increased its importation of Libyan oil; the U.S. imported an average of 85,500 bbl/d (13,590 m3/d) of total Libyan oil exports in 2006, up from 56,000 bbl/d (8,900 m3/d) in 2005. Italy's Edison S.p.A. has committed, under a "take-or-pay" contract, to taking around half (140 Bcf per year) of the natural gas from the WLGP, and to use it mainly for power generation in Italy. Besides Edison, Italy's Energia Gas and Gaz de France committed to taking around 70?109 cu ft (2.0?109 m3) of Libyan natural gas. Another 70?109 cu ft (2.0?109 m3) per year is to be produced from WLGP for the domestic Libyan market (feedstock or power generation) or possibly for export to Tunisia.

National Oil Corporation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So you're in favor of invading sovereign nations to promote a certain group of leaders and form of government. eenteresting. Where have I seen that before?

I don't know where you get that I'm in favor of nation building. I'm in favor of containment and disrupting their infrastructure. We saw that in Iraq before the worst president ever (Dubya) took over. There were no-fly zones in that country for years prior to the point where the neocons insisted that liberating Iraq would be a walk in the park.

Hey, don't go hassling the French - they make great cheese.

Hey, don't go hassling the French - they make great cheese.

and fries.....and mustard too!