WORDS OF WISDOM ON LIBYA…. Rep. Tom Marino (R-Pa.) is largely on board with U.S. intervention in Libya, but has reservations.
“Where does it stop?” he said. “Do we go into Africa next? I don’t want to sound callous or cold, but this could go on indefinitely around the world.”
First, Libya is in Africa. Second, Marino is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House subcommittee on issues related to U.S. policy in Africa.
As it turns out, this isn’t even the worst quote I’ve seen this morning on Libya. That distinction goes to Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas). Here’s what he said last night, connecting U.S. military policy with the Affordable Care Act.
“[W]hen you find out we’re being sent to Libya to use our treasure and American lives there, maybe there’s intention to so deplete the military that we’re going to need that presidential reserve officer commissioned corps and non-commissioned corps that the president can call up on a moment’s notice involuntarily, according to the Obamacare bill.”
So, let’s see. President Obama joined a coalition to intervene in Libya so he could deliberately undermine the military, creating the need for a separate, secret presidential army, which is hidden in the health reform law.
There was no indication Gohmert was kidding.
For the record, there’s no reason to think the limited mission in Libya is in any way “depleting the military.” There’s also no provision creating a secret army in the Affordable Care Act, though it did create a health service reserve corps that could be called upon in the event of a crisis. There’s nothing nefarious about it.
Remember, Marino and Gohmert are members of Congress, responsible for helping shape policy at the federal level.
