Kucinich tells Obama that he'll push to defund Libya intervention

WASHINGTON – Refusing to let up on his outspoken opposition to the U.S. intervention in Libya, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) on Thursday sent a letter to President Barack Obama pledging to try and block funds for the military campaign.

In the lengthy letter, Kucinich reiterated his questions regarding the constitutionality of Obama's decision to proceed with a no-fly zone followed by air strikes in Libya without Congress's approval. He also doubted the feasibility of the mission and whether the U.S. can afford it.

"I believe these missteps so far seriously compromise the course of military intervention you have initiated," Kucinich wrote. "The only way I can see to correct them is to stop U.S. participation in the war entirely."

The staunchly anti-war Democrat informed Obama that he plans to introduce an amendment -- co-sponsored by Reps. Walter Jones (R-NC), Pete Stark (D-CA) and Ron Paul (R-TX) -- to the next spending bill in Congress seeking to deny funding for the Libya intervention.

The amendment is a long-shot as Republican and Democratic leaders roundly support the air-based military campaign aimed at ousting Muammar Gaddafi and preventing a humanitarian disaster -- although members of Congress are increasingly asking questions about the parameters of U.S. involvement.

Kucinich caused a firestorm after he privately -- and later in an interview with Raw Story -- raised the specter of impeaching the president for the U.S. missile strikes in Libya last weekend.  Numerous experts refuted the premise of his call for impeachment, arguing that Obama indeed acted within his constitutional authority.

Kucinich, a presidential candidate in 2008, dropped out of the Democratic race to endorse Obama.