Washington (MSNBC) -- House Speaker John Boehner complained Wednesday of "limited,

sometimes contradictory" information so far from the Obama administration on the U.S.-led military
mission in Libya and asked for the president to provide "a clear and robust assessment."

In a letter to President Barack Obama, Boehner, R-Ohio, said that he and other House members were
troubled that the president committed U.S. military resources to war "without clearly defining for the
American people, the Congress and our troops what the mission in Libya is and what America's role is
in achieving that mission."

"In fact, the limited, sometimes contradictory, case made to the American people by members of your
administration has left some fundamental questions about our engagement unanswered," Boehner's
letter said, adding that there seemed to be greater consultation with "foreign entities such as the United
Nations and the Arab League."

Obama has said the purpose of the mission was to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Libya, where
Moammar Gadhafi had threatened to unleash his military "without mercy" on the rebel stronghold of
Benghazi.

In addition, Obama has said that U.S. leadership of the mission will end within "days, not weeks," and
coalition partners including NATO allies and Arab states will take over the no-fly zone being
established over Libya. Boehner's letter represented an overt political challenge to Obama on the
issue, demanding more details on the mission itself as well as an explanation of the goals and whether
all partners are consistent in their approach and resolve.

He noted that Obama has called for Gadhafi's ouster, but the U.N. Security Council resolution
authorizing the mission "makes clear that regime change is not part of the mission."

"Why would the U.S. commit American resources to enforcing a U.N. resolution that is inconsistent
with our stated policy goals and national interests?" Boehner asked in the letter.

He also questioned what the United States would do if support from coalition partners dissolves, and
what standards a new Libyan leadership must meet to be recognized as legitimate by the U.S.
government.

In addition, Boehner pushed Obama to provide a specific timeline for handing over control of the
mission to allies, as well as for how long a no-fly zone would be enforced, if Gadhafi remains in
power over coming weeks and months.
With congressional budget battles in high gear, Boehner also asked if Obama anticipated seeking
additional funding from Congress to pay for the Libyan mission.
Citing what he called "conflicting messages" on the issue, Boehner summed up his questions by
asking: "What is your benchmark for success in Libya?"

Boehner also complained that Obama didn't properly consult with congressional leaders. However, he
took part in a conference call Friday with other congressional leaders and Obama discussed the Libyan
mission.

According to one source, Boehner raised no questions during the call, but the source attributed that to
difficulty hearing due to the large number of participants, including some who failed to mute their
lines.

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