The Hill News

A leading member of President Obama's party says that he prefers other nations -- not the U.S. -- to take the lead in potential military actions against Libya.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) applauded the U.N. Security Council's resolution calling on Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi to stop attacks on rebels and endorsing a no-fly zone, but he said European and Arab nations should do more to enforce it.

"The president has indicated that the U.S. will assist international efforts to protect civilians and end the violence," he said in a statement Friday. "I support this action and have urged the administration to take a supportive role in this effort. I firmly believe that our European allies and the members of the Arab League must take the leading role."

Hoyer's statement adds pressure on the administration to not become too deeply involved in bringing the civil unrest in Libya to an end.

Obama on Friday warned the! Libyan government that the U.S. will join military action against Gadhafi if he does not halt attacks on his own citizens. The president said, however, that the U.S. will not deploy ground troops to the North African nation.

Some liberal members of Congress have balked at Obama's plan and demanded that the president receive a formal declaration of war from Congress before launching military strikes in Libya.

With wars still ongoing in Iraq a! nd Afghanistan, some in Washington are arguing that the U.S. c! annot af ford to become sucked into a prolonged military engagement in Libya.

Obama stressed that the U.S.'s allies would play a significant role moving forward.

“American leadership is essential, but that does not mean acting alone,” he said.