Weigel

Don’t Mention the War!

My new piece at Slate recaps what’s been happening on the Hill as regards congressional oversight of Operation Odyssey Dawn and the Libyan no fly zone. Answer: Almost nothing!

There was nothing new there. Two and a half months since the Libyan civil war broke out, and coming up on two months since the start of Operation Odyssey Dawn , Congress is at something of a loss. Republicans are very unhappy about the lack of information they’re getting. Democrats are merely unhappy. Unless something changes very quickly, the resolution that Lee mentioned will be, in Kerry’s words, ” in limbo .”

Limbo is taking on a lot of new residents. Democrats and Republicans who back the White House are not obsessing over the War Powers Act. Yes, they want to know what happens if Qaddafi goes. After Osama Bin Laden was killed, though, all of this faded into the background. “I’m not looking, necessarily, at this point in time, for an additional vote,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the Democrats’ House whip.

Charlie Savage and Thom Shanker have more , focused on the administration’s side of the puzzle.