Members of the US House of Represenatives were given the opportunity to defund the American military effort in Libya or give it their blessing, and on Friday, they did neither.<br /><br />Angry over not being consulted by President Barack Obama before he launched the US air war in Libya in March, lawmakers strongly rejected a bill that would have authorised the operation. Seventy members of Obama's Democratic party joined Republicans in the vote.<br /><br />But the House sent a mixed message by also rejecting another bill that would have defunded the military strike aspects of the Libya operation.<br /><br />With Obama arguing the fighting in Libya does not amount to "hostilities" that would trigger the need for Congressional approval, such debates are likely to continue.<br /><br />Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane reports from Washington DC.
