Congress 'restricts' US action in Libya while China chats with rebels ...

"The U.S. House just voted to put limits on American action in Libya. Meanwhile, rebels fighting dictator Moammar Gadhafi are getting a diplomatic bump from an unlikely source: China.

Congress voted today on two separate resolutions to pull back on American military involvement in Libya. Republican House Speaker John Boehner’s bill passed the House by a vote of 268-145. The resolution directed the president not to “deploy, establish, or maintain” ground troops in the country for anything other than rescuing American forces. That’s something the White House pledged it wasn’t about to do, anyway. But Boehner’s resolution challenged the administration in other ways. It also called for a host of information from the White House on sore points about the war, including its cost, and America’s “security interests and objectives” in the conflict. The House also voted on Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s resolution to pull U.S. troops out of Libya completely within 15 days. Though Kucinich’s resolution failed 148-265 and Boehner’s is non-binding, the votes are nonetheless a sign of growing Congressional unease with the war in North Africa.

While support for American military commitment to Libya took a hit today, China seems to be warming to the idea of involving itself more in the conflict politically. China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed today that the country has been chatting with members of Libya’s National Transitional Council ..."