Obama's Libya Policy Under Fire in Florida From Left and Right

President Barack Obamas policies in regard to Libya are drawing fire from both the left and the right in Florida.

Republican U.S. Tom Rooney, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said on Monday that Obama was being too vague about the mission and needed congressional approval to continue American air strikes.

The president sought approval from the United Nations and the Arab League before taking any action in Libya, but he never consulted the United States Congress, Rooney said. That sets a terrible precedent. By seeking only U.N. approval, the president is transferring authority that should rest in the people of the United States through their Congress to an international community.

President Obama has yet to articulate a clear mission for Operation Odyssey ... nor has he adequately defined what the United States role will be in achieving that mission, added Rooney. We as a Congress must re-assert our constitutional authority, even if that means ending our recess a week early.Before any military action is escalated, President Obama must seek congressional approval.

Former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, an icon among some Democrats for his colorful and often confrontational tenure in Congress, sent an e-mail out to supporters on Monday, also criticizing Obamas handling of the situation in Libya.

The Libyan air force hasnt received a major delivery of new aircraft in 22 years. Roughly three-quarters of its air craft cant fly, noted Grayson. It is true that the Libyan air force, such as it is, has been deployed. But the serious threat to civilians in Libya is not from the Libyan air force, its from the government security forces on the ground. A no-fly zone does not take away their guns, or their artillery.

While Grayson added that he wanted Gadhafi --whom he labeled a dictator who has stunted the development of his country and its people --out of power, he thought that economic sanctions would prove more effective. He opposed a no-fly zone.

In the case of Libya, thats a tactic in search of a strategy, argued Grayson. The Yiddish word for it is shmei, roughly translated as aimless strolling around. A no-fly zone is basically just looking like youre doing something to remove Gadhafi, at the cost of $60 million in a day.

The last time we tried this, in Iraq, we had to sustain it for 12 years, added Grayson, at enormous effort and expense. And it didnt bring down Saddam at all.