Kucinich to Try to Strip Troop Funding for Libya

Posted March 22, 2011 at 10:44am

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who has criticized President Barack Obama for authorizing military action in Libya without Congressional approval, will seek to deny funding to send U.S. troops there.

In a letter to Members on Tuesday, the Ohio Democrat said he would offer an amendment to the next continuing resolution or omnibus appropriations bill “that would prohibit funding for U.S. involvement in military operations in Libya.”

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

Both chambers are on recess until Monday, and lawmakers will soon have to address how to keep the government funded beyond April 8 when the current stopgap spending measure expires. By sending his letter Tuesday, Kucinich is already ramping up for that debate.

Kucinich, who ran twice for president on an anti-war platform, has blasted Obama for committing military resources to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya and called it an impeachable offense. The United Nations Security Council approved the no-fly zone last week. Kucinich maintained such a move was an act of war and requires Congressional approval. The Ohio Democrat called on Congress to cut short its weeklong recess to consider a declaration of war.