Libya conflict divides parties in the U.S.

Obama administration officials declined to answer questions Tuesday about whether they would need to ask Congress for more money to fund the military efforts in Libya, according to a congressional aide who attended a briefing at the Capitol. In the briefing by representatives from the Pentagon, Treasury and White House for aides of Congressional leaders, the administration officials also declined to say how many of the Tomahawk missiles used to bomb Libyan targets belonged to the U.S., according to the aide. Each Tomahawk, made by Raytheon Co., cost about $1 million. Some lawmakers have been concerned about whether the Obama administration knows who will be in charge should Col. Moammar Gadhafi be forced out of powera stated goal of U.S. policy, though not a goal of the military action. A representative from Libya offered the staffers assurances about the opposition leadership, portraying them as including lawyers, doctors and intellectuals. The Libyan, whom the aide who attended the briefing described as an ambassador, said the 31-member opposition council had declared it supports a constitutional democratic state with the full participation of all Libyans.

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