Obama Will Speak To Nation On Libya Monday Evening

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President Obama, March 18, 2011.

AP

President Obama, March 18, 2011.

AP

Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike, as well as journalists, have asked White House officials: why doesn't President Obama address the nation about Libya?

The president has heard those calls. The White House said late Friday Obama will speak Monday evening.

Their news release:

WASHINGTON—On Monday, March 28 at 7:30PM ET, the President will deliver an address at the National Defense University in Washington, DC to update the American people on the situation in Libya, including the actions we've taken with allies and partners to protect the Libyan people from the brutality of Moammar Qaddafi, the transition to NATO command and control, and our policy going forward.

Lawmakers have criticized Obama for not consulting Congress enough before sending the U.S. military into action over Libya with forces from other nations to enforce a UN-sanctioned no-fly zone.

Critics have questioned what exactly the goal is of U.S. participation in the international action against Moammar Gadhafi's regime. While the president has said U.S. policy is that the Libyan strongman should go, the military action's aim was to stop Gadhafi's forces from slaughtering the regime's opponents in Benghazi and elsewhere.

Obama spoke with a group of lawmakers Friday to update them on the Libya operation.

The White House offered the following "readout" of that meeting:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 25, 2011

REVISED: Readout of the President's Meeting with Members of Congress on Libya

On March 25, President Obama briefed a bipartisan, bicameral group of Members of Congress on the situation in Libya. The President and his team provided an update on accomplishments to date, including the full transfer of enforcement of the no-fly zone to NATO, and yesterday's unanimous agreement among NATO allies to direct planning for NATO to assume command and control of the civilian protection component in accordance with UNSCR 1973. Following the briefing, the President answered multiple questions from the Members of Congress. The discussion lasted approximately one hour and took place in the White House Situation Room.

Joining from the Administration

Chief of Staff Bill Daley

National Security Advisor Tom Donilon

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (via phone)

CJCS Mike Mullen

GEN Carter Ham (via via video conference)

Bipartisan bicameral group of members of Congress that participated (in person or by phone)

Speaker John Boehner

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell

Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl

Representative Adam Smith

Senator Carl Levin

Senator John McCain

Senator John Kerry

Senator Richard Lugar

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Representative Howard Berman

Senator Dianne Feinstein

Senator Saxby Chambliss

Representative Mike Rogers

Representative C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger

Senator Daniel Inouye

Senator Thad Cochran

Representative Hal Rogers

Representative Norm Dicks