Jared Metzker of Parallax treats the complexities surrounding US airstrikes in Libya by contrasting the views of Obama, Tim Kaine, and myself as to the legal, military, and political implications of the airstrikes. Obama seems to be coming at the issue from a purely CT perspective ignoring the domestic political ramifications for Libya. Kaine's obsession about the legalities of how America projects force and whether we have a valid AUMF is not because Kaine is against the action in Libya but because he wants a full congressional declaration of war on ISIS as a separate AUMF and that is why he is obscuring that the UN-recognized government has called for the US airstrikes obviates the need for any further AUMF. And I believe that the key issue is whether or not the airstrikes are getting us closer or farther away from a true anti-ISIS coalition.
Pack is not entirely opposed to U.S. involvement in Libya, but he believes that the phasing of the current military operations is flawed. He is worried that U.S. bombings could exacerbate existing political divisions, further inhibiting the formation of a genuine unity government.... Although an airstrike campaign aimed at the remaining ISIS commanders in Sirte may conclusively drive them out of the city, that does not mean that ISIS is defeated in Libya.
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