Politics

Kucinich will introduce amendment to defund ‘unconstitutional’ Libya airstrikes

Steven Nelson Associate Editor
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Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich announced Tuesday his intention to introduce an amendment to defund what he considers the “unconstitutional” airstrikes in Libya.

Kucinich wrote in a Tuesday letter to colleagues, “the President committed the U.S. to military invention without consulting Congress, in clear subversion of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which gives only Congress the power to declare war.”

The congressman also cited the cost of Libya operations as objectionable. “According to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, the initial costs of a no-fly zone could cost the U.S. between $400 and $800 million, or $30 to $100 million per week,” Kucinich wrote.

Kucinich continued, “We have already spent trillions of dollars on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, both of which descended into unwinnable quagmires. Now, the President is plunging the United States into yet another war we cannot afford.”

The letter indicated that he would propose the amendment to either the forthcoming Continuing Resolution or Omnibus Appropriation bill.

During a Saturday conversation with other liberal Democrats, Kucinich reportedly suggested that Obama could be impeached for the perceived constitutional violation.

The Kucinich amendment will likely garner the support of fellow anti-war Democrats, but could also garner support from some Republicans. Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul said in a video released on Friday, “the American people should be yelling and screaming about what the president is doing.”

Paul criticized the reaction of fellow congressmen to the Libyan intervention, saying there were “just a few of us who have even mentioned that what the president is doing is not right, wrong, and violates the Constitution.”