Obama Overruled Lawyers at DoD and DoJ Over Libya and War Powers Act - BUMPED

Because our military operations are not hostilities. Or something like that. Even though Pentagon general counsel and acting head of the DoJ Office of Legal Counsel advised otherwise. (NYT link)

Jeh C. Johnson, the Pentagon general counsel, and Caroline D. Krass, the acting head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, had told the White House that they believed that the United States military’s activities in the NATO-led air war amounted to “hostilities.” Under the War Powers Resolution, that would have required Mr. Obama to terminate or scale back the mission after May 20.

The White House counsel, State Dept counsel, and the AG argued Obama was not bound by the Act.

Lawyers argue. Hell I've seen it, take three of em to lunch sometime. But Obama is dancing on the head of a pin if he thinks he can sell drone-launched missiles as some kind of NATO logistical support (what, our "our explosives are transporting large amounts of concrete and steel to thousands of different locations within the proximity of the boom"?)

A Hellfire missile launched from a drone isn't "hostility", it's "re-decorating."

via jtLOL

UPDATE: DrewM reminded me about Gabriel's post on Harold Koh, General Counsel at State.

AND: Meet President Dredd. He is the law.

Judge, Jury and Executioner

from Slublog (who else?)

Last Update: Reading for comprehension. The NYT piece lowballed this in the last part and I totally misread it. Obama overruled his Attorney General too:

Other high-level Justice lawyers were also involved in the deliberations, and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. supported Ms. Krass’s view, officials said.

BUMPED: because President Dredd is worth it.

posted by Dave In Texas at 07:29 AM

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