Lawmakers want answers from Obama on Libya operation

Quote :: LOS ANGELES - The United States would like to have NATO play a major role in command of the operation, maintaining the no-fly zone created after U.S. missiles targeted Libyan air defenses.

France feels that NATO is unpopular in the Arab world because it is seen as run by the United States, and has proposed a special committee for the mission. Turkey, the only Muslim-majority nation in NATO, has objected to a lead role for the alliance.

Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough says the White House is confident it will be able to hand over the mission within days. After this is accomplished, \"we can now share the burden with other people\'s taxpayers, to make sure that we can hand off to our allies to run this no-fly zone in the days ahead,\" McDonough told MSNBC. \"So we think there\'s a good story to tell, and we\'re going to tell it.\"

McDonough and staff members are also reviewing the letter from Boehner. The questions include queries about the organization of the allies, and what happens if Khadafi stays in the power and the possibility of this becoming a protracted conflict.

McDonough said Boehner\'s letter contains \"a very legitimate set of questions, and we think it\'s a good opportunity to continue the conversation with Congress.\" McDonough also noted to CNN that Obama briefed Boehner and other members of Congress on Friday before he left for Brazil to start his Latin America trip.

\"We\'ve been briefing Congress this week,\" McDonough said. \"You\'ll remember, of course, that the discussion of a no-fly zone started up on Capitol Hill. So we obviously were able to take that idea and expand it to ensure that we are degrading Khadhafi\'s forces, so we can turn them back from key cities like Benghazi and Misrata.\"

Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said the White House \"informed\" members of Congress when \"the plan was already in motion and the use of U.S. military assets had already been committed to other nations.\"

\"The speaker\'s letter was not an attack on the president,\" Buck said. \"It was an attempt to get answers to questions many Americans are asking.\"

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