USA VOTES AGAINST WAR AS UK STUMBLES FORWARD

Further to my post below, I now hear via my American political allie Congressman Dennis Kucinich a Cleveland Democrat that whilst the UK Parliament and the Public  has been kept in the dark over military action in Libya that the US House of Representatives through their Speaker no less has moved a successful anti war motion on the floor of the House!

On Friday, 76 days after U.S. forces joined a NATO attack on the regime of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, the House of Representatives got around to acknowledging that it should have a say in the President's decision. Those who believe the president should not have a free hand to make war can thank Dennis for even that small gesture.

Two days earlier, Kucinich  had panicked the House leaders by trying to invoke the 1973 USA War Powers Act, which requires a president to get congressional permission within 60 days of initiating combat operations  and mandate the end of American military action in Libya. Dennis told the House of Representatives that with spending by the US alone on the action in Libya approaching $1bn and NATO talking about committing ground troops that the issue was not going to go away, he declared his and many others view that the war is ilegal, unjust, misguided and not affordable during such difficult economic times.

Kucinich's resolution drew interest from such a large and unlikely bipartisan coalition united by a belief that Obama had put American personnel in harm's way with little or no congressional consultation that it might well have passed.

Instead, Speaker John Boehner, a fellow Ohioan, delayed the vote until Friday and, in the meantime, held talks with his own group and crafted a resolution of his own.

Boehner's alternative motion bars the use of American ground forces in Libya, It also demands that the President  Obama answer a series of questions regarding the Libyan rebels, U.S. objectives in the North African nation and the anticipated scope and duration of NATO's campaign against Gadhafi.

In a section entitled "Findings," it notes that Congress has not authorized military action in Libya and has the power to deny funding. The resolution passed, 268-145, with Kucinich among the supporters.

The House then rejected Kucinich's War Powers motion, 265-148. Congress cannot be a silent partner in matters of war and peace. Kucinich was right to force his colleagues to speak up.Its just a great shame that none of our MP's in the British Parliament feel duty bound to follow his and America's example