Dear Friend,

When President Obama addressed the nation on Monday evening, we all expected him to explain what exactly he is doing regarding Libya.  Unfortunately, his remarks did not answer the most fundamental questions about the situation in Libya – why he unilaterally decided to commit our military, the details of his strategy, and what exactly the end game is.   

Perhaps the most unsettling revelation so far occurred Wednesday, when reports came out that President Obama authorized the CIA to provide arms and other aid to rebel forces in Libya weeks ago.  But who exactly are we are helping?

Eastern Libya has long been a hotbed for terrorism.  Supplying arms would not only deepen American involvement, but could eventually threaten our own national security.  The Libyan people are fighting for freedom, but there is no way for us to be assured that some rebel soldiers don’t have direct ties to groups like Al Qaeda.  Libyan rebel forces need to be fully vetted before there is any additional aid from the United States.  This may be the right thing to do but we just don’t have all the information.

The Department of Defense announced our military intervention so far is estimated to cost $550 million.  For each additional month of our involvement, the Pentagon estimates an added expense of $40 million.  There are many unanswered questions about our operations, and when we are spending this kind of money I want to know it is going into the right hands and is for the right cause.

I will continue to monitor this situation closely and keep you informed as the situation evolves.

Sincerely,

Kay Granger