Key senators back Obama on Libya

WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- Two leading Senate Democrats Sunday endorsed the U.S. attack on Libya as a necessary and limited measure.

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said, "The goal of this mission is not to get rid of [Moammar] Gadhafi. That's not what the United Nations licensed and I would not call it going to war. This is a very limited operation that is geared to save lives."

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said, "What the president should do is have a clear mission and to avoid mission creep."

He said military concerns are allayed "because this mission has been very carefully limited."

Within days, Levin predicted, there will "be a handoff" to the French, British and Arabs, "after the air is cleared of any threats."

Levin predicted strong support in Congress "because it is a limited mission, no boots on the ground."

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said, "I'm supportive … at this point."

But he feared "we could end up with the rebels having lost momentum and creating a prolonged stalemate."