To No-Fly or Not to No-Fly

Make no mistake I was thrilled to hear that Libya was going to be the next Middle East nation to throw off its dictator, and then horrified to hear that their dear leader was killing the insurgents with artillery and helicopters.

Shades of Russia in Afghanistan.

But when I heard President Obama speak today about our participation in a UN No-Fly Zone resolution a chill ran down my spine.

Shades of America in Iraq.

Shades of the Bush Doctrine.

A doctrine which says that America has the right to militarily interfere with the affairs of another country when nothing happening in that country is a direct threat to American security.

Yes, Moamar Gadhafi is a bad, bad guy and deserves nothing less than a firing squad for what he has done to his own people. But there are ways to help the Libyan people without violating the sovereignty of a nation. I will support my president, make no mistake. But right about now I want to remind my president of the words that came from his own lips when he sat in the US Senate, and another president was rattling his saber:

“The president does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation."

Well-said Mr. President.