Republican Senators Blast Growing 'Isolationism' Within GOP Over Libya

WASHINGTON -- In appearances on Sunday talk shows, several top Republicans rebuked members of their own party for backing "isolationist" foreign policy by pushing to end U.S. military operations in Libya.

The comments follow a push from House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and several House Republicans to require President Obama to obtain Congressional approval to continue U.S. military action in Libya. During a debate in New Hampshire last week, Republican presidential hopefuls, including Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-Minn.), were critical of the Libyan operation, and former Massachusets Gov. Mitt Romney (R) also espoused support for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.

Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) declined an opportunity to criticize Boehner, but spoke out strongly against the comments from GOP presidential candidates.

"I was more concerned about what the candidates said in New Hampshire," McCain said. "This is isolationism ... If we had not intervened, Gaddafi was at the gates of Benghazi ... our interests are our values, and our values are that we don't want people needlessly slaughtered."

"I will be no part of an effort to defund Libya," Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) said on NBC's "Meet The Press" program Sunday.

McCain said that while there is "war weariness" in the country, some of the Republican opposition to the Libyan conflict was driven by political motivations, rather than a sincere foreign policy disagreement.

"It certainly is also a bit of partisanship," he said.

The senators' comments gave rare Republican political support to an Obama administration policy. But Liz Cheney, who also criticized growing "isolationism" within the party on "This Week," reserved criticism for Obama as well.

"The president, the commander-in-chief, is not leading," Cheney said, insisting that Obama needs to do more to explain to the American people why the U.S. is engaged in a third major military conflict.

Under the War Powers Act, passed in 1973, Congress must authorize a U.S. military action within 90 days of its initiation. Sunday marks the 90th day of U.S. military involvement in Libya. Boehner and House Republicans have joined some anti-war Democrats in attempting to use the War Powers Act to curtail the Libyan war.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) emphasized on "Meet The Press" Sunday that the Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war, not the President.

But both McCain and Graham challenged the constitutionality of the War Powers Act, claiming it "is not worth the paper it's written on."

Comments

[New by]

08:58 PM on 06/22/2011

This is Ron Paul who has inspired the Tea Party, and is the lone voice on this issue...The rest are lying and McCain says so too....

Here he is in 2008 telling McCain and Romney etc that the USA can't expect its future generations pay for wars..

I note that they did not even credit Ron Paul in this article

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHTCG3gGJKQ

Vote Ron Paul 2012 if you truly want to end the wars....

[dobravery]

02:21 PM on 06/21/2011

This is where you see the difference between the GOP and Tea Party. Tea Party'ers don't want the US to borrow more money for overseas adventures unless it poses a serious threat. Classical conservatives believe in a strong foreign presence.

[abbadabba]

12:49 PM on 06/21/2011

Oh Lordy! How will the American economy continue if we don't remain perpetualy at war? Way to bark for the bankers, McBlame! Watch out for Smokey. He's really mad at you telling folks that only migrants start forest fires.

[chefacree]

10:26 AM on 06/21/2011

John McCain is a war monger plain and simple. Read the WHOLE story of his treatment by the Viet Nam goverment. He could have and should have been tried on charges of treason.

[bleeckerst6105]

02:45 AM on 06/21/2011

no one has to explain to the American people of being war weary. We simply should have minded our own business! Policeing other countrys. You cannot change the mentality of these fanatics Enough already! Get our own house in order, we have congress and the senate and a president that don't know how to balance a check book let alone balance a budget. It is time for America to take care of their own, Stop wasteful spending, foreign aid stop finding people to blame for you people not being able to solve the problem

[Quinxy von Besiex]

01:17 AM on 06/21/2011

The design of our government was a work of genius, but it often seems like it's being run by idiots. The governmental bodies were expected to work together, opposing each other to a degree, but ultimately coming together on constructive, collaborative solutions. The seeminly new, or at least more brazenly vocal, politics of "no" harms us all.

[staleyelec]

09:05 PM on 06/20/2011

Rhino. Any way the wind blows. Republican in name only.

[mrtimmaulden]

11:30 PM on 06/20/2011

What the "H" does the "h" stand for..???

[lola85]

07:18 PM on 06/20/2011

"The president, the commander-¬in-chief, is not leading," Cheney said, insisting that Obama needs to do more to explain to the American people why the U.S. is engaged in a third major military conflict."

The president is not leading. In other words, we want him to do what WE want him to do. And we will always want him to do the opposite of what he is doing. And if Bin Laden is captured and killed under his leadership, we will question that as well.

Oh and Liz--check with your mean old daddy regarding the "explanation" as to why the U.S. is engaged in the FIRST TWO military "conflicts” You know the ones were we were “either with them or against them”.

[lola85]

07:20 PM on 06/20/2011

*where we were

[ZackShorty]

12:47 PM on 06/21/2011

What is that starey thing doing up there by the first w? Hey, I'm just bored.

[ElDru]

06:08 PM on 06/20/2011

America should actually return to being isolationist. We need to stop getting involved in conflicts around the world. Imagine all of the money that was spent in the last decade on wars that could have gone to improve the entire nation in so many different ways.

[dmurrah]

06:54 PM on 06/20/2011

Yeah, let's let China spread their influence throughout the world. Then they'll be able to sell us our electronics, toys, AND oil.

[ElDru]

07:06 PM on 06/20/2011

No, not at all. We can make our own products; we can grown our own food.

[dave6686]

06:05 PM on 06/20/2011

And what does John Know> With two miserably failed runs for the WH.. who would listen to anything he has to say about how to win an election?

[skwan91607]

06:01 PM on 06/20/2011

McCain, your buddies are not ISOLATIONISM. They are all, including yourself, having "One Term President" Symptom. The difference is you are on a Mission to stage any war in Middle East.

[obama20082012]

05:45 PM on 06/20/2011

Mexico please take back Arizona and texass while you are at it. We won't but up a fight. Thank you.

[filo]

05:43 PM on 06/20/2011

Jump into the race Johnnie and show 'em how it's done.

[dave6686]

06:07 PM on 06/20/2011

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[filo]

06:56 PM on 06/20/2011

:)

[NWBrunette]

05:15 PM on 06/20/2011

Good ol' McCain - never let a war-mongering opportunity go to waste.

[Kiffanik]

04:56 PM on 06/20/2011

"Cheney said, insisting that Obama needs to do more to explain to the American people why the U.S. is engaged in a third major military conflict"

Why didn't they have to do more to explain why we were in the first 2? I remember those Congressional hearings and considering we now KNOW for a fact that they lied about WMD's on purpose, why aren't we talking about war crime prosectution? I feel the same about them as I feel about this President and Libya.