As far as I can tell the only thing he did before he left was fill out his NCAA brackets.

(CNS News) — President Obama on Monday defended his decision to launch a U.S. military campaign against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi while traveling outside the country.

During a joint news conference with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera in Santiago, Obama fielded several questions on Libya, including one regarding whether he should have taken a Latin American trip as the U.S. was about to enter a third international military conflict.

A United Nations Security Council resolution adopted last Thursday authorized the international community to take “all necessary measures” short of foreign occupation to protect civilians under threat of attack by the Libyan regime.

“With respect to initiating this action while I was abroad,” Obama said in response to a reporter’s question in Santiago, “Keep in mind that we were working on very short timeframes, and we had done all the work, and it was just a matter of seeing how Gaddafi would react to the warning that I issued on Friday.”

“He, despite words to the contrary, was continuing to act aggressively towards his civilians. After a consultation with our allies, we decided to move forward,” Obama continued. “And, it was a matter of me directing Secretary of Defense [Robert] Gates and [Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman] Admiral [Mike] Mullen that the plan — that had been developed in great detail, extensively, prior to my departure — was put into place.”