A bipartisan group “of senators, working with the Obama Administration, is drafting an authorization resolution for the mission in Libya,” Fox News reports.
Sen. John McCain said Thursday he is working with Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass, GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., to make sure any resolution they develop contains "language that can receive an overwhelming vote in the Senate. It would not be a good signal, otherwise."
The group has "not yet decided" whether the resolution will be a symbolic measure, known as a "sense of the Senate" resolution, or something binding.
The group is also working with the Administration. "We want to try pass something that they can be supportive of," said McCain, top Republican on the Armed Services Committee.
"I think it’s very clear that a majority of my colleagues want some statement from the Senate on this issue," the senator added.
On timing:
An aide to McCain said the group wants to introduce something "sooner rather than later," as there is a growing concern that some senators could introduce a resolution to force an end to the current mission in the north African nation.
Congress in Your Pocket
Resolution needs to define the mission and require reconsideration if the circumstances change –
First, it was a humanitarian mission
Then, it was extended to provide protective air cover for rebels and against the Libyan army
Yesterday, we reduced the air cover and found the rebels cannot survive without strong allied air support
Today, we were told the CIA has been on the ground for weeks and is now helping the rebels — but that they lack command and control expertise
So, tomorrow, will govt. acknowledge the media supposition that there are Special Operations troops on the ground, already, or put them in?
If this is not war, isn’t this it’s prelude?