U.S. combat missions in Libya nearing 3,500 flights

The U.S. Air Force and Navy are flying hundreds of missions over Libya despite the claim by President Obama this week that our military role there is “”limited in time and scope” and not covered under the War Powers Act.

This morning Air Force Times reports that in fact since March 31 U.S. military forces are nearing 3,500 combat flights over Libyan airspace.  Eight hundred of those have constituted “strike sorties,” not surveillance flights. The Times says those bombing flights continue.

AFRICOM spokeswoman Nicole Dalrymple said in an emailed statement to the Air Force Times: “As of today, and since 31 March, the U.S. has flown a total of 3,475 sorties in support of OUP [Operation Unified Protector.] Of those, 801 were strike sorties, 132 of which actually dropped ordnance.”

The president refuses to send a war resolution to Congress as required under the War Powers Act, arguing that U.S. involvement is limited.