Ten missing elements from Obama's speech

Here are ten missing elements from the President’s address to the nation about his decision to go to war:

– Why no Oval Office Address? This was not a somber war speech. You looked goofy jaunting up the steps and smiling in your opening remarks.  It looked and felt like a campaign speech.

– What happened to Congress? Not a peep about notifying or securing consent from Congress.   The War Powers Act  disappeared into thin air.

– How long will U.S. forces continue combat missions? Whether under the NATO or U.S. flag, is this still a war for weeks, months or longer?

– What does success look like? What is the end game? If regime change is not the measure for success, what is? And what if Moammar Qaddafi doesn’t relinquish power?

– What will be the financial cost ? He warned about the $1 trillion for eight years in Iraq.  Afghanistan now costs $3 billion each week. Any guesstimates on what this will cost the taxpayer?

– Why no mention of allies Germany or Brazil? Germany pulled all military units out the coalition. Brazil, where he toured last week, has not endorsed the action either.

– Why no dire warnings to Qaddafi? What if he turns to retaliatory terrorist attacks or really burns Tripoli and Benghazi as he goes down?

– Why no recognition of the rebels as the legitimate Libyan government? Other countries have recognized the rebels as the legitimate governing authority.  Why didn’t Obama endorse them tonight? Does the CIA or the State Department have a firm grip of who are the rebels?

– Why didn’t he call Qaddafi a war criminal? Whatever happened to the international war crimes proceedings?

– No coherent Obama Doctrine. Libya was a “one off,” as the Brits would say.  So tonight, what are Middle East tyrants thinking ? From Tehran to Casablanca they realize Obama is politically spent on overseas ventures. Time to break out the champagne bottles.