U.S. Congress Demands Say on Libya Intervention
BLITZER: In Libya today, crowds danced and cheered in the streets of Tripoli in support of Moammar Gadhafi. The demonstrations apparently were in response to state TV reports that Libyan rebels are losing support in their stronghold in Benghazi. But CNN journalists there say they haven't seen any sign of a counter-revolution. Libya is responding to questions about possible defections within Gadhafi's family as well. Reuters is reporting the country's foreign minister, denying that Gadhafi's wife and daughter have fled to neighboring Tunisia. This, as President Obama had some very harsh words for the Libyan regime.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The most extreme example is Libya, where Moammar Gadhafi launched a war against his own people, promising to hunt them down like rats. As I said when the United States joined an international coalition to intervene, we cannot prevent every injustice perpetrated by a regime against its people. And we have learned from our experience in Iraq just how costly and difficult it is to try to impose regime change by force, no matter how well-intentioned it may be. But in Libya, we saw the prospect of imminent massacre. We had a mandate for action and heard the Libyan people's call for help.</s>BLITZER: A short while ago, a Libyan government spokesperson reportedly called President Obama -- and I'm quoting this Libyan official -- as saying, "President Obama is delusional," adding that, "Only the Libyan people can decide Moammar Gadhafi's fate." President Obama also getting some heat for members of Congress, at least some of them, about U.S. military action in Libya. Let's bringing in our senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash with this part of the story -- Dana.</s>DANA BASH, CNN SR. CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, you know, there are few things that bring together the left and the right these days. But lawmakers in both parties are telling us that as of tomorrow, President Obama could be violating the law with military action in Libya.</s>BASH (voice-over): U.S. military action in Libya began 59 days ago. Now the president may be on the brink of breaking the law if he continues the mission without congressional approval.</s>REP. BRAD SHERMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: Bring democracy to Libya while shredding the Constitution in the United States.</s>BASH: At issue, the 1973 War Powers Act which says if the president does not get congressional authorization 60 days after military action, the mission must stop within 30 days. The president formally notified Congress about the Libya mission in this letter March 21st, which makes tomorrow the 60-day deadline. Inaction is roiling lawmakers on the left --</s>SHERMAN: He cannot continue what he's doing in Libya without congressional authorization. And when a president defiantly violates the law, that really undercuts our effort to urge other countries to have the rule of law.</s>BASH: -- with rare agreement from the right.</s>SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: I mean, no more important decision than sending someone to war who could lose their life, and yet we are going to have no debate on it? The people's representatives would not be allowed a debate on it? I found that really appalling, and it's a terrible precedent.</s>BASH: To be sure, presidents in both parties often ignored another part of the War Powers Act, that the commander in chief should get congressional approval before military action. But it's virtually unprecedented for a president to continue a mission beyond 60 days without a resolution from Congress. The administration is deliberating what to do</s>JAMES STEINBERG, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: We are actively reviewing our role going forward. Throughout, the president has been mindful of the provisions of the War Powers resolution and has acted in a manner consistent with it. He will continue to do so.</s>BASH: Angry lawmakers in both parties say part of the problem is that their own congressional leaders are not raising a stink.</s>PAUL: Very few people are talking about this. They are just letting the president do whatever he wants. And I think that's Congress abdicating the rule of law and abdicating constitutional restraints that they should obey.</s>SHERMAN: Some of my colleagues would just as soon not do our job because this is a difficult part of it.</s>BASH: Now, with the clock ticking toward tomorrow's 60-day deadline, the administration could try to get around violating the War Powers Act in a few ways, Wolf. They could argue that the U.S. only has a minor role in what is NATO's mission. They could say that the U.S. will temporarily stop involvement there and then try to restart that 60-day countdown. They could even ask for an extension. But some Republicans we talked to, they say it is time for the Supreme Court to act. The Supreme Court has actually never ruled on the War Powers Act, and maybe it is time for them to do that -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: The U.S. military has already spent nearly $1 billion trying to deal with this situation in Libya as well.</s>BASH: They have.</s>BLITZER: Dana, thanks very much. Three journalists freed by Libyan officials crossed into neighboring Tunisia today. The location of the fourth journalist released yesterday is not clear. The four were captured and imprisoned by the Libyan military over a month ago and originally sentenced to prison for a year. A Libyan government spokesman says they were released early after paying a fine for entering the country illegally. We are following the breaking news. The ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn just granted bail, facing a number of alleged sexual assault charges against a hotel maid. We are going back to the courthouse for a live report. Also this -- Ph.D.s being forced to apply for factory jobs in a race to find work. A "CNN In Depth" report, that's coming up.