Obama 'ignored Libya legal advice'

President Barack Obama decided he could continue the air war in Libya without congressional approval despite rulings to the contrary from Justice Department and Pentagon lawyers, according to published reports.

The president relied instead on the opinions of other senior administration lawyers that continuing US participation in the air operations against the regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi did not constitute “hostilities”, triggering the need for Congressional permission under the War Powers Resolution, the New York Times reported in its online edition.