What Are We Doing In Libya?

I know that I have been out of commission with my medical malady, but I really do not understand this effort of the United States air force in Libya.
What is it we are doing?
Apparently, we are trying to protect civilians caught in the crossfire between rebels and the forces loyal to the dictator Moammar Qaddafi.
Oh no.
It is to see dictator Qaddafi ousted. But not necessarily by this effort.
Wait, we do not even know anything about these rebels. We maybe backing forces worse, if you can believe that, than the dictator Qaddafi.
And are we leading the effort to do whatever it is we are doing?
Even that is in dispute. We keep hearing that indeed we are not and will hand off to other forces to continue whatever it is we are doing in Libya.
Oh, and if it is a long-term military engagement, should have not the commander-in-chief, the Dear Leader, President Obama, notified congress of this what ever it is we are doing?
Lets start from there.
I do believe that the Dear Leader, President Obama, needed to ask congress for the approval to use the air power we are using over Libya. After all, a fighter had a malfunction and crashed. And while the two-member crew escaped injury, what would have happened if they died? Or were captured by the dictator Qaddafi's mercenary forces?
While there have been two short-term rescue missions that come to mind in which presidents did not go to congress, overall it is important to give the enemy a sense that the nation and its elected officials are united and on the same page.
For the record, the two incidents are in the Mayaguez incident at the end of American military involvement in Southeast Asia.
The second was the Debacle In The Desert when then President Jimmah Carter authorized the use of military force to attempt to release the United States embassy hostages.
But this appears to be a much longer term mission and congress needs to be kept abreast and given the ability to show support for the commander-in-chief.
Again, what is it we are doing in Libya?
May be that is why the Dear Leader, President Obama, is not going to congress. Because he does not know what he is doing.
In fact, it appears that the Dear Leader, President Obama, is more worried about following to the letter the United Nation's resolution regarding a no-fly zone over Libya. And to be honest, it is as confusing and contradictory as the Dear Leader, President Obama's stated objectives.
And what about these rebels? Do we know anything about this force? Are they united in getting rid of the dictator Qaddafi only and will fight among themselves once that is done? Is there any truth that al-Queda is backing the rebels?
I for one do not know. And I suspect, neither does the United States and or its allies. Well, shouldn't we know something about those that want to oust the dictator Qaddafi? I know I do.
I really think that we dropped the ball, what a surprise, on this.
We should have been more aware of the opposition and made nice-nice with them. We should have been able to mold them to at the very least not be anti-American. And pro-Western. But, I do not see any evidence of this happening. If so, maybe our mission would be more defined.
Clarity is missing from this mission. It makes the 2,000 so called health-care "reform" look entirely understandable.
If the commander-in-chief, the Dear Leader, President Obama, can not articulate and leader in this effort, then we will have a lot of problems not only in carrying out this effort, but the American people will not support this for a long-term.
Which goes back to the original thought.
What are we doing in Libya?