(Image source: Bloomberg)

BY: JIM FLINK


A slap on the wrist - but no handcuffs? Or mass confusion on an effort to rein in President Obama’s Libyan reach? The U.S. House of Representatives first votes to rebuke the President for authorizing U.S. involvement in Libya, but fails to pass a second vote -- to defund any further war support.
Here’s CNN’s Dana  Bash.

“What this bill was supposed to do was to take away funding for most of the mission, at least the combat part of the mission in Libya.  And the goal there was to make it very clear to the president that the House of Representatives is not happy that he has not come to Congress for consultation and specifically authorization.”

In advance of the vote, Republicans were scolding the President for being in violation of the War Powers Act.  ABC reports, this is a classic Capitol Hill battle.

“This really is a political battle over power.  Presidential power over Congressional power.  And depending on whether a Democrat or a Republican has been in the White House, Mr. Obama and the Speaker, Mr. Boehner have taken completely different positions.”

The New York Times notes, plenty of Democrats sided with Republicans on the first vote.

“The resolution to support the mission...failed 295 to 123, with 70 Democrats joining Republicans on an issue that has divided Democrats and became a major Constitutional flash point between Congress and The White House.”

But when it came to the second vote, defectors came out on both sides, worried defunding would send the wrong message to Gaddafi.  Florida Republican Tom Rooney sponsored the bill and told Fox News ...
 

"It was my bill. You can blame me...I think we tried to limit funds so our kids weren't in harm's way but not leave NATO on their own. People either wanted all or they wanted nothing. Now we are back to square one."

And -- in an earlier report -- Fox noted, the vote comes at a time when NATO leaders believe, they have almost accomplished the mission at hand.

“Gaddafi does not feel safe in Tripoli anymore.  And that their efforts to reduce his ability to command and control the military is definitely having an effect.”

“According to these sources, Gaddafi is seriously considering fleeing Tripoli for a more secure location outside the capital, but will stay in Libya.”

MSNBC talks with one representative who says, beyond an issue of working together, this issue is also tightrope walk between the balance of constitutional power -- and the delicate balance of foreign power.

“We support this effort.  We support this mission.  And we don’t to walk away from it.”

“I would hope that it is not interpreted as in any way walking away from our commitment to this effort.”

Transcript by Newsy.