McCaskill and Blunt sound off on Libya

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill says she’s concerned about conditions in Libya.

While the Senator is awaiting briefings from military officials, she says it appears there has been a reversal over the last 24 hours.

The Democratic Senator says the U.S effort must have a clear timeline.

"And I am going to certainly push to hold the President to his word. That this will be limited in scope and limited in time. That this is not going to be a drawn out commitment of the United States military and that it will not involve ground troops," McCaskill said.

Meanwhile, Missouri Senator Roy Blunt says he is hopeful that the U.S’s limited efforts in Libya will be successful in ending Moammar Gadhafi’s 42-year rule.

The Republican Senator says that the efforts come about four weeks too late.

Blunt says he would support the U.S arming rebels.

"I’m eager as a member of the intelligence committee to know a little more about the rebels than we know right now," Blunt said. "But I think if you put planes in the air, and you’re going to spend $500 million to keep those planes in the air to level the playing field, it doesn’t hurt to give some advantage to the playing field on the side you’re trying to help."

Blunt says President Barack Obama must give a clearer definition of what the goal in Libya is.

Julie Bierach, St. Louis Public Radio

Read More

Emerson on nuclear power, Libya

JACKSON, MO (KRCU) - U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson remains undeterred in her support of nuclear energy.

Despite the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, the Southeast Missouri Republican believes that nuclear power should remain a vital part of the United States’ energy portfolio.

Speaking after a Jackson Kiwanis Club meeting on Thursday, Emerson said that plants should only be built in areas that are far from strong seismic activity and are not prone to tsunamis. The tricky part comes in dealing with used fuel rods.

“Do you recycle them, which the European countries do and you just use them over and over again? Or do you continue trying to store them in Yucca Mountain, which is not going to happen at least at this point in time,” Emerson says.

Emerson believes that recycling nuclear rods holds promise in the future.

On the topic of Libya, Emerson isn’t sure what to make of President Barack Obama’s decision to join U.N. and Arab League forces to implement a no-fly zone over Libya.

While Presidents have historically engaged in military actions without Congressional approval, Emerson is distraught that the administration chose to get involved in Libya so quickly.

“The President had not outlined a goal or a mission, or an objective. He hadn’t really indicated how long this might take, or exactly what it might involve. And I don’t see any strategic importance to our country in the country of Libya,” Emerson says.

Emerson mentions that she is frustrated by the administration’s lack of communication and coordination with Congress on foreign affairs.

Emerson also met with constituents in Advance, Marble Hill, and Piedmont.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Read More

Russ Carnahan points to "obvious inconsistency" in foreign policy

Congressman Russ Carnahan says the United States needs to be careful that its involvement in enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya does not expand into another Middle Eastern war.

The Missouri Democrat says he’s pleased that President Obama has tried to limit the role of the U-S military in Libya, and that international allies are also involved.

"But I still have serious concerns, and so do a lot of the people I talk to in terms of the cost of a third war in the Middle East, on top of what we’re already doing, and the costs on our soldiers and their families," Carnahan said.

Carnahan also says the decision to get involved in Libya but not other countries where protesters were also killed points to an “obvious inconsistency” in American foreign policy.

Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio

Read More