US House scraps vote on Libya resolution

US House scraps vote on Libya resolution

A vote on a proposal directing President Barrack Obama to remove US armed forces from Libya has been called off by the United States House of Representatives.

The majority Republicans said that they wanted more time to weigh their options on the war.

A Democrat, Dennis Kucinich, suggested that the vote should be dropped because the measure might have passed, which would have confirmed that most of the lawmakers want the US out of the Libyan conflict.

Supporters and detractors

The US role in Libya, where rebels are trying to oust long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been controversial in Congress since Obama notified lawmakers on March 21 that he had ordered the intervention as part of a multinational coalition conducting air strikes to shield civilians.

There are supporters and detractors of the US role in both parties.

Last week, the House passed two amendments to a defense bill pushing back against the mission, including one prohibiting the use of US ground troops in the North African nation.

House Speaker, John Boehner told reporters that Republicans would meet on Thursday to discuss the Libya war and consider their next move.

It was unclear whether the Republicans would reschedule a vote or if Kucinich would use procedural rules to try to force one.

Boehner stressed that the House had not voted on Wednesday, because the administration had not adequately defined the mission in Libya.

"I think many Americans are still looking for answers to the questions that I outlined in a letter March 23 to the president. How is this action consistent with US national security and policy goals? Who are the opposition? How does Gaddafi go? I think we decided that the House wasn't ready to decide the question," Boehner said. Before acting, lawmakers wanted to be sure that what they are doing "is in the best interest of our country," he said.

Kucinich's measure would invoke the 1973 War Powers Resolution to direct Obama to stop the US participation in the war.

Kucinich says Obama violated the part of the law that prohibits US armed forces from being involved in military actions for more than 60 days without congressional authorization.

But Boehner told reporters that "technically" he did not think Obama had violated the War Powers Resolution.

White House officials have suggested that the limited, NATO-led US action might not be enough to reach the law's threshold.

NATO is leading the intervention in Libya with US contributing to it but there are no US troops on the ground there.
 
Defectors

Meanwhile, a top oil official in Libya, Shorki Ghanem, has defected from Muammar Gaddafi’s government.

The official defected on Wednesday, complaining of unbearable violence, adding political momentum to a revolt against the leader's long rule.

Speaking at a news conference organised in Rome by the Libyan ambassador, who has also defected, Ghanem said he had left his job because of the unbearable violence in Libya.

"I left the country and decided also to leave my job and to join the choice of Libyan youth to create a modern constitutional state respecting human rights and building a better future for all Libyans. I have been working in Libya for so many years believing that we can make a lot of reform from within. Unfortunately this became not possible, especially now, when we see the spilling of blood every day in Libya, our best youth and our best men getting killed," he said.

The defection by, Ghanem, a National Oil Corp head, who is also a former prime minister, came two days after the defections of eight army officers including five generals and those in earlier weeks of senior diplomats and former ministers.

Libya battle

In the rebel-controlled eastern Libya, an explosion reportedly damaged a hotel used by rebels and foreigners in Benghazi, wounding one person.

Police said rebel authorities believed the explosion might be linked to Gaddafi agents still operating in the east.

Explosions were also heard in central Tripoli in the early hours of Thursday morning.

As the conflict in Libya clocks fourth month, there is no likelihood that the rebels will break out their strongholds and advance towards Tripoli, where it appears Gaddafi controls.

NATO said on Wednesday it had extended its Libyan mission for a further 90 days, after Gaddafi made it clear he would not step down, dashing hopes of a negotiated end to the fighting.

REUTERS/Shakira